Belarus Ryanair Flight Diverted: Passengers Describe Panic on Board

The passengers on Ryanair flight FR4978 from Athens which was nearing its final destination of Vilnius, Lithuania have described their panic as it was suddenly forced to divert to Minsk.

The plane was accompanied by a fighter jet that had been scrambled to guide it to the Belarusian capital. Soon after its arrival, Belarus arrested one of the passengers, a dissident journalist called Roman Protasevich.

We have information from special services that you have a bomb on board and it can be activated over Vilnius,” Minsk air traffic control said, recommending that the aircraft make a landing. The pilot then questioned the origin of the bomb threat, to which Minsk said airport security had received it via email