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Global aviation body plans Belarus probe

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is to carry out an investigation into the diversion of a Ryanair flight to Minsk airport in Belarus last Sunday.

At a special meeting yesterday (27 May), the body’s council expressed “strong concern” at the “apparent forced diversion” of the flight, which was heading to Vilnius from Athens.

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan (pictured) welcomed the ICAO decision. He had joined the council meeting, along with transport ministers from Poland and Lithuania, to call for the probe.

Journalist detained

After the Ryanair flight landed in Minsk, journalist Raman Pratasevich, the co-founder of a Belarusian opposition media channel, and his companion Sofia Spega were detained by the country’s authorities.

The ICAO council underlined the importance of establishing the facts of what had happened, and of understanding whether any of its member states had breached international aviation law, including the Convention on International Civil Aviation, known as the Chicago Convention.

It also called on all ICAO members and other relevant stakeholders to co-operate with the investigation in the interests of ensuring the safety and security of civil aviation. An interim report is due by 25 June.

The ICAO is funded and directed by 193 national governments to support co-operation in air transport.