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Co-pilot accused of hijacking Ethiopian Airlines flight


The Eithiopian Airlines Boeing 757 flown from Addis Ababa to Geneva instead of its intended destination Rome was commandeered by its co-pilot, who was seeking asylum in Geneva.

The co-pilot told ATC the plane was being hijacked, and after he landed, climbed down a rope from the cockpit, and told ground police forces that he was the hijacker.

Ethiopia, which has a reputation of targeting journalists, opposition and minorities, has a deteriorating human rights record, and owns Ethiopia Airlines. Charges against the co-pilot could result in a twenty year prison sentence.

No one was injured in the hijacking, but two Italian fighter jets “escorted” the plane to Geneva. Two hundred and two people were aboard.


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