Moscow-bound flight makes an emergency landing, 'hijacker' detained

Photo: AFP A passenger on an Aeroflot flight from the Siberian city of Surgut to Moscow demanded that the plane be diverted to Afghanistan instead, forcing the plane to land around 240 kilometres short of its destination, Russia Today reported on Tuesday. Flight SU1515 landed in Khanty-Mansiysk, Aerflot confirmed. It was also reported that the suspected hijacker has been detained.

Flight #SU1515 just landed safely in Khanty-Mansiysk. pic.twitter.com/HFEXmzTDgy

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) January 22, 2019

The crew had to convince the passenger that the plane needed to land as it required refueling, reported the Russian media. The suspect has been detained multiple times before for drunken disorderly behaviour, a source told Interfax news agency. As many as 10 police squads were sent to the airport. The Boeing 737 was reportedly carrying 69 passengers and seven crew members.