MOSCOW, January 23. /TASS/. A perpetrator who tried to break into the cockpit on an Aeroflot flight en route from the Siberian city of Surgut to Moscow did not seem drunk and was behaving adequately, which is why his threats were taken seriously, air hostesses told reporters on Wednesday.
"There were no signs of his being under the influence of alcohol, he was behaving adequately," air hostess Maria Nikulina told the Rossiya-24 TV channel. "He was speaking coherently, there was no smell of alcohol, neither did he seem to be under the influence of drugs, this is why his words were taken seriously," air hostess Yeva Kraichek said. "He claimed to have weapons and said if we failed to fulfill his demand [to divert the flight], he will use them against other passengers and crew members," she added.
Aeroflot flight SU1515 changed course 15 minutes after departure from Surgut. Russian Investigative Committee Spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko told TASS that, according to preliminary information available to the investigation, one of the passengers had claimed to have weapons and tried to break into the cockpit, demanding the flight be diverted. The plane changed course and landed in the city of Khanty-Mansiysk, where the perpetrator was detained. According to the Investigative Committee, he was identified as "a resident of Surgut, who has a criminal record for property damage." He was drunk and had no weapons. None of more than 70 passengers and crew members suffered any injuries in the incident.
The Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation under Article 211.2 of the Russian Criminal Code (attempted hijacking involving threats to use violence).