Belavia plane's forced landing in Kyiv violates all intl conventions - Belarusian Transport Ministry
MINSK. Nov 2 (Interfax) - A Belavia passenger plane's forced return to Kyiv's Zhulyany airport on October 21 under the threat that fighters could be scrambled constitutes interference in another state's international civil aviation operations, Belarusian Transport Ministry's aviation department Director Vladimir Kostin said.
"In this particular case, the plane's return under threat of force is certainly wrong. This violates all international conventions and constitutes interference in operations of a specific state's international civil aviation, a specific airline," Kostin told journalists in Minsk on Wednesday.
The Belarusian plane's crew acted appropriately in this situation, he said.
"All international documents, including our documents, say that a crew must comply with an air traffic controller's commands, especially considering that the aircraft was in Ukraine's airspace. Let's imagine what would've happened had the crew not obeyed the command and fighters had been scrambled? Perhaps this would've grown into a more complex conflict," he said.
A plane's return to the airport of departure is not extraordinary if the event of mechanical problems, weather conditions, or a passenger's illness, Kostin said. "But if we speak of this particular case, in which the plane was returned at the air traffic controller's demand, when it was said following a pause that, if the command was not obeyed, military planes would be scrambled, this is certainly an abnormal thing," Kostin said.
If an airport of departure takes the necessary security measures during check-in, a suspicious passenger can be identified before they board the plane, he said.
"If this didn't happen or if some new information appeared, which required that this passenger be returned, there are international requirements, there are norms, and there is civilized practice. Agreement could have been reached via other channels with the state for which this plane was bound so that they then could have facilitated this passenger's turnover. Specific institutions should do their specific work," Kostin said.
"If a mistake occurred - and this was a mistake, because the passenger was on the next flight - I believe [Ukraine] should apologize. And then look into the situation via certain channels and levels. But, unfortunately, there has been no reaction and no commentary from Ukraine as of now - absolute silence. And what are we supposed to think?" he said.
Belarus is still awaiting apologies from Ukraine, Kostin said. "I don't know in what framework, be it the aviation leadership or some other institution, but I believe this should be done," he said.
It was reported earlier that a Belavia aircraft en route from Kyiv to Minsk was forced to return to its departure airport of Zhulyany (Kyiv) shortly after takeoff under the threat of scrambling of fighters on October 21. It later transpired that the plane's return had been demanded by the Ukrainian Security Service.
Ukrainian Charge d'Affaires ad interim Valery Dzhyhun was summoned to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry the next day. "During the meeting at the Foreign Ministry, a note was handed to the Ukrainian chief of mission, in which the Belarusian side declared its protest over Ukrainian competent agencies' actions to force a Belarusian Belavia aircraft, Flight B2 840, en route from Kyiv to Minsk, to return on October 21, 2016," the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.