An Ethiopian Airlines co-pilot locked the pilot out of the cockpit, hijacked a plane bound for Italy and diverted it to Geneva, where he requested asylum.
One passenger said the hijacker threatened to crash the plane if the pilot did not stop pounding on the locked door. Another said passengers were terrified “for hours” as the plane, carrying 200 people, careened across the sky.
The Boeing 767-300 took off from Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on an overnight flight to Milan and Rome, but it sent a distress message over Sudan that it had been hijacked. Over Europe, two Italian fighter jets and French jets were scrambled to accompany it.
The plane, which was supposed to go to Milan first, landed in Geneva at 6am local time yesterday. No one on the flight was injured and the hijacker was taken into custody after surrendering to Swiss police. Geneva police said the 31-year-old co-pilot claimed he felt threatened in Ethiopia.
Passenger Diego Carpelli, 45, said.”We had no clue about the hijacking, but got scared when the plane suddenly started diving, it seemed like it was falling from the sky.”
The alleged hijacker was named as Hailemedhin Abera who had worked for Ethiopian Airlines for five years. Ethiopia said it will seek his extradition.
After landing in Geneva the co-pilot left the cockpit using a rope then surrendered himself to police.
Police escorted the passengers out one by one, their hands over their heads. Geneva prosecutor Olivier Jornot said the co-pilot will be charged with taking hostages, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.