Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson describes ICAO Council’s decision to continue investigation into Ryanair incident as “inadequate” and “inappropriate”

February 4, BPN. At the briefing on February 4, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova described the decision of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Council to continue the investigation of the incident with the Irish Ryanair flight en route from Athens to Vilnius that made an emergency landing at Minsk airport on May 23, 2021, as “inadequate” and “inappropriate.” Opposition blogger Raman Pratasievič and his girlfriend Safija Sapeiha were on board. Both were detained after landing at the Belarusian airport.

According to Zakharova, the conclusions of the ICAO Investigation Team that reviewed the incident “predictably failed to satisfy the Western countries concerned, probably because they planned to use the report to justify their unfounded restrictive measures against the Belarusian aviation industry.”

“The final report turned out to be inconclusive,” she said.

According to Zakharova, the Western countries with a majority in the ICAO Council suggested that the team “continue the investigation and, apparently, look for new evidence against Minsk (well, in the best traditions: what have you got there? Can you find some extra speculations?)”

“Look, this is completely out of line. It’s a sign of inadequacy. It looks as if ICAO experts have been instructed to mend their ways, to think about their conclusions, otherwise they would write these reports endlessly until they get it right,” Zakharova said.

According to the representative of the Russian MFA, the current situation proves that the actions of the Belarusian side “taken in response to the information about the flight safety,” are “unceremoniously used by some countries to achieve their selfish, opportunistic, political goals.”

At a meeting on January 31, the ICAO Council requested a further investigation into the incident with the Irish Ryanair flight.

The ICAO Investigation Team should establish “missing facts,” “including in connection with the related ongoing criminal and other investigations,” as well as report any further findings.