Swiss authorities have detained 31-year-old Hailemedehin Abera Tegegn, the co-pilot and hijacker of an Ethiopian Airlines flight that was forced to land at Geneva's international airport, Feb. 17, 2014. (Reuters)
The Associated Press
GENEVA — It seemed like a routine overnight flight until the Ethiopian Airlines jetliner went into a dive and oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling. Only then did the terrified passengers — bound for Italy from Addis Ababa — realize something was terribly wrong.
The co-pilot had locked his captain from the cockpit, commandeered the plane, and headed for Geneva, where he used a rope to lower himself out of a window, then asked for political asylum.
Authorities say a prison cell is more likely.
Hear Cockpit Audio from Hijacking (CNN Video)
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Related:
Ethiopia Denies ‘Hijacker’ Co-pilot Faced Persecution (VOA)
Why Co-pilot Might Have Taken Extreme Steps to Leave (The Telegraph)
Co-Pilot Hijacks Ethiopian Airlines Plane and Requests Asylum in Geneva (NYT)
Rome-bound Ethiopian Airlines flight hijacked by co-pilot (AP)
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