Planes told to avoid Belarus airspace after ‘hijack’
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May 25, 2021
LONDON: Aircraft have been instructed to avoid Belarusian airspace following the “state-sponsored hijack” of a Ryanair flight to enable the arrest of a prominent critic of Alexander Lukashenko’s regime.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said further sanctions are being considered against the Lukashenko administration – including the suspension of energy pipelines in Belarus – and Belarus’s ambassador in London had been summoned for a dressing down.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he has instructed the Civil Aviation Authority to request airlines avoid Belarusian airspace “in order to keep passengers safe”. He also suspended the operating permit for Belavia, the country’s state-owned airline.