EU welcomes ICAO report condemning forced landing of Ryanair flight in Minsk in May 2021
Photo by Fotis Christopoulos on Unsplash
July 25, 2022

EU welcomes ICAO report condemning forced landing of Ryanair flight in Minsk in May 2021


The European Union has welcomed the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) report on the May 2021 incident when Ryanair Flight FR4978 was forced to land in Minsk, which concluded that the Government of Belarus had committed an act of unlawful interference in breach of international aviation law.

The condemnation was based on a detailed and thorough Fact-finding investigation report prepared by the ICAO Secretariat which included an interview and audio recordings from the Minsk air traffic controller involved in the incident. The report confirms that the bomb threat against Ryanair Flight FR4978 was deliberately false, that senior government officials of Belarus were involved and provided instructions to force the landing in Minsk and that the incident endangered the safety of the flight and its passengers.

A statement on 22 July by EU High Representative Josep Borrell and Commissioner Adina Vălean said the report confirmed what the EU had already established – that the Belarusian regime orchestrated the hijacking of a civilian plane for the sole purpose of arresting an opposition journalist, Roman Pratasevich and his friend Sofia Sapega, in a flagrant violation of international air law, as well as a threat to the safety and security of international civil aviation.

On 4 June 2021 the EU took measures in response to this serious and irresponsible act, banning Belarusian carriers from European airspace and airports. On 21 June 2021, the EU adopted sanctions against the individuals and entities involved in the hijacking of the Ryanair aircraft. 

“The EU welcomes the fact that the report will be conveyed to all ICAO Member States and that the infractions of the Chicago Convention by Belarus will be reported to the ICAO Assembly during its upcoming 41st Session. The report will also be forwarded to Secretary-General of United Nations for appropriate further action,” the statement said.  

Find out more

EU statement

ICAO press release



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