Ethiopian Airlines’ Flight 702 Squawks “HiJacking”

Airline Reporter ^ | 2/16/14 | Airline Reporter Staff

[CondorFlight]

At 5:00pm Pacific Time, Ethiopian Flight 702, a Boeing 767-300 was flying over Sudan when it started squawking 7500. The transponder code, is supposed to indicate a “hijacking.”

(snip)

The flight, operating from Addis Abba to Rome has been confirmed by Rome Airport not to have arrived yet. As of now, it is over France, but has recently taken a steep northeast heading.

Based on flight tracking, it appears the plane is headed to Geneva. Emergency crews are standing by.

[Jet Jaguar]

Agreed.

[ltc8k6]

Yes, hijacker arrested. Situation over.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/17/world/europe/ethiopian-airlines-hijacking/

[a fool in paradise]

When do you suppose John Kerry will learn of it?

There’s global warming threats to tackle first!!!!

[cynwoody]

It’s getting more interesting. Supposedly, the Swiss police have arrested the pilot, who was requesting asylum.

[cynwoody]

http://airchive.com/blog/2014/02/17/ethiopian-airlines-flight-702-squawks-7500-hijacking/

[Innovative]

UPDATE at

http://www.airlinereporter.com/2014/02/breaking-ethiopian-airlines-flight-702-squawks-hijacking-reasons-unknown/

“•Geneva Airport Police confidently stating that no one has been hurt (10:45pm)
•Swiss Authorities stating that they have arrested the hi-jacker
•There is a press conference scheduled for 9:00am CET (12:00am PST)
•Swiss Police confirming that a pilot aboard the aircraft is the individual in custody (10:54pm PST)”

[cynwoody]

· The pilots of flight 702 communicated with Geneva Airport air traffic control to inquire about possibility of hijackers receiving asylum in Switzerland. Further details of the hijackers are not known.

· There was back-and-forth between Geneva Airport, Swiss authorities, the pilots, and hijackers as asylum was negotiated while the aircraft flew on dwindling fuel over Lake Geneva. The difficulty comes in the time this all occurred: 6am on a Monday morning in Geneva, an hour when there's little likelihood for those with decision power to be at their desks.

· With about 10 minutes of fuel remaining and one engine out, flight 702 safely landed on the single runway at Geneva Airport around 6:00am local time. ATC directed the aircraft to taxi to the end of the runway and stop. Friend of Jaunted and aviation authority @thatjohn believes he heard the pilots "telling ATC they will be coming out of the window."

· ATC went silent for several minutes before stating: "situation in progress and I have no idea when it will end. For the time, Geneva Airport is closed." Requests from other aircraft en route were denied, and they were informed that the airport is currently closed.

· Geneva Airpot's Tower ATC noted at 6:30am that they're hoping to re-open the airport at 7am local time, but the aircraft with the situation is still sitting on the tarmac and he is not sure of more details. Other aircraft bound for GVA are being rerouted to airports like MXP (Milan-Malpensa) and ZRH (Zurich).

http://www.jaunted.com/story/2014/2/17/02325/1000/travel/BREAKING%3A+Ethiopian+Plane+Hijacked,+Flown+to+Switzerland+for+Asylum

[GeronL]

Muslim hijackers, probably not the kind of people we’d want to have in a civilized country

[Jet Jaguar]

Damn

[cynwoody]

Swiss Police confirming that a pilot aboard the aircraft is the individual in custody (10:54pm PST)

http://www.airlinereporter.com/2014/02/breaking-ethiopian-airlines-flight-702-squawks-hijacking-reasons-unknown/

[CyberAnt]

Aren’t there rules about news accounts of hi-jacking’s in progress being kept quiet ..??

I know it was talked about after 911 - but I don’t know if they did it or anything similar.

Do we have a pilot who can tell us ..??

[a fool in paradise]

It was the news of the other plane hijackings (and terrorist strikes with them) that saved another piece of Washington real estate on 9-11. Telling us “it’s for our own good” doesn’t work.

The hijacker already knows the plane has been hijacked.

The passengers generally do too.

It may be to keep the OTHER planes’ passengers in the air (and waiting to board flights) passive rather than on edge.

[a fool in paradise]

Maybe they are gay muslim hijackers. Seeking asylum in America where the president is gay muslim terrorist friendly.

[cynwoody]

Aren’t there rules about news accounts of hi-jacking’s in progress being kept quiet ..??

The internet interprets censorship as damage and routes around it.

— John Gilmore, 1993

[hoagy62]

Asylum? From what????

[cynwoody]

Asylum? From what????

Who knows. I'm not Ethiopian, but I bet if I were, I could think of some things ...

LiveLeak now reports:

- POLICE HAVE NOW CONFIRMED THE PILOT IS IN CUSTODY

The Pilot ? WTF ?

[PghBaldy]

Thanks.

[cynwoody]

http://airchive.com/blog/2014/02/17/ethiopian-airlines-flight-702-squawks-7500-hijacking/?utm_content=buffer81fb4&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[Jet Jaguar]

We can now confirm that all passengers are safe and accounted for. According to a German language newspaper, passengers have received psychological and mental care. Some of them have also been searched and questioned according to a Geneva police spokesperson.

Update 7 – 2:04 am E.S.T

[PghBaldy]

So instead of rotten politicians dying, it was brave Americans who died in Shanksville, & NYC, & VA. Is there anyone in DC fit to shine the shoes of the men and women who died that day?