The dispatcher, who in the course of negotiations with the pilots of a passenger plane Belavia, carrying out the flight Kyiv-Minsk on October 21, 2016, threatened with the fighter jets if the aircraft doesn’t return to Zhuliany, acted in accordance with international practice. This is stated in the response of the Ukrainian State Air Traffic Services Enterprise (UkrSATSE) on request of 112.ua.
The UkrSATSE has been informed about the need to return the aircraft flight BRU840 Belavia in connection with a threat to national security of Ukraine, which was done. Dispatcher acted in the interests of national security of Ukraine and in accordance with international practice" the enterprise responded.
Earlier, the State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said that there was no threatening with the fighter jets: "It is absurd. At the same time, we have read the transcripts. We were not present at the talks, and I can not answer for the UkrSATSE’s actions. It is possible. It is the human factor, the threat is a fiction, the dispatcher has just overreacted a little".
Belavia company, the national air transport operator of Belarus, stated that Ukraine forced their aircraft to land in Zhuliany airport in Kyiv. The passenger plane was on its way from Kyiv to Minsk, but the Ukrainian side ordered the crew to turn back and land in Zhuliany.
At 15.55 Belavia’s aircraft landed in Zhuliany. Upon the re-boarding, Ukrainian law enforcers detained a passenger who proved to be the citizen of Armenia. Later that day, he was released and continued his trip to Minsk, having boarded on another aircraft.
Belavia’s management apologized to their passengers for the inconveniences. The Belarusian side will demand compensation for the losses suffered due to the unscheduled return to Zhuliany.
