Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Airlines flight ET702 was hijacked. Ethiopian Airlines flight 702 on scheduled service departing from Addis Ababa at 00:30 (local time) scheduled to arrive in Rome at 04:40 (local time) was forced to proceed to Geneva Airport. Accordingly, the flight has landed safely at Geneva Airport. All passengers and crew are safe at Geneva Airport. Later, Swiss authorities detained the hijacker. The situation was “under control”, police said after flight ET 702 had been diverted from its original destination of Rome. The airline earlier said the flight from the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa had been “forced to proceed” to Geneva.
The airline said the plane was forced to fly to Geneva, but all passengers and crew are safe. The Boeing 767-300 flight from Addis Abba to Rome “was forced to proceed to Geneva Airport,” an Ethiopian Airlines press release said. The plane landed at Geneva International Airport. All passengers and crew are currently safe the airline said. It added it is “making immediate arrangements to fly its esteemed customers onboard the flight to their intended destinations.” The Boeing 767-300 flight from Addis Ababa to Rome was flying over Sudan when it signaled a hijacking, the media report earlier said.It later landed in Geneva Airport. Unconfirmed reports say the pilots have escaped from the plane.
Ethiopian Airlines Press Release:
Ethiopian Airlines flight 702 on scheduled service departing from Addis Ababa at 00:30 (local time) scheduled to arrive in Rome at 04:40 (local time) was forced to proceed to Geneva Airport. Accordingly, the flight has landed safely at Geneva Airport. All passengers and crew are safe at Geneva Airport.
Ethiopian Airlines is making immediate arrangements to fly its esteemed customers on-board the flight to their intended destinations.
This press release has since been recanted by the airline.
UPDATES:
- The aircraft now has 20 minutes of fuel remaining (8:45pm PST) via LiveATC.net
- Reports of one engine potentially flaming out (unconfirmed via LiveATC)
- Reports of the aircraft being directed to make an approach but not landing until a response is given regarding the word “asylum” (via LiveATC)
- Fuel warning has been received on the flight deck (Via LiveATC)
- Aircraft apparently cleared for an ILS approach. What could be a hostage negotiator has been heard on the radio (Via LiveATC)
- Response to the request will be given by Swiss Authorities on Short Final for landing on Runway 05 (via LiveATC)
- AIRCRAFT HAS LANDED SAFELY (Via FlightRadar24 and LiveATC)
- Pilots heard on radio stating they will be exiting via the aircraft flight deck window. (via LiveATC)
- Airport/Airspace around Geneva is now closed (via LiveATC)
- Geneva airport remains closed (updated at 10:01PST)
- Unconfirmed reports the aircraft is parked at the end of Runway 05.
- Asylum request still pending. (9:33PST)
- International arrivals into Geneva are diverting to other airports (via FlightRadar 24)
- “We will disembark our passengers within the next 5 minutes and we will call you back.” Heard over LiveATC. (10:13pm PST)
- Back in 1996 an Ethiopian 767 had to ditch in the water due to hi-jackers and lack of fuel. Fight 961
