Putin order for bomb threat plane to be downed in 2014 cancelled after false alarm

[webfact]

Putin order for bomb threat plane to be downed in 2014 cancelled after false alarm

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends an interview with NBC's journalist Megyn Kelly in Kaliningrad, Russia March 2, 2018. Picture taken March 2, 2018. Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS

 

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Vladimir Putin in 2014 ordered a passenger aircraft which was reported to be carrying a bomb and targeting the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi to be downed, the president said in a film shown on Sunday.

 

In a 2-hour documentary titled "Putin" and available on Russian social media, Putin told reporter Andrey Kondrashov he received a telephone call from security officers responsible for the Sochi Olympics on Feb. 7, 2014, shortly before the opening ceremony was due to start.

 

"I was told: a plane en route from Ukraine to Istanbul was seized, captors demand landing in Sochi," Putin said in the film seen by Reuters.

 

The pilots of a Turkish Pegasus Airlines Boeing 737-800 flying from Kharkiv to Istanbul reported that one of the passengers had a bomb and the plane had to change course to Sochi, Kondrashov said in the film.

 

There were 110 passengers onboard, while over 40,000 people had gathered at the stadium to watch the opening ceremony, the reporter said.

 

Putin said he sought advice from security officers and was told the emergency plan for that type of situation called for the plane to be shot down.

 

"I told them: act according to the plan," Putin said, adding that shortly afterwards he arrived at the Olympic venue with the International Olympic Committee officials.

 

After several minutes Putin received another call, he said, informing him that it was a false alarm - the passenger was drunk and the plane would continue its flight to Turkey.

 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Sunday confirmed the comments in the film.

 

Putin runs for the presidency next Sunday, March 18.

 

The country is on a high alert ahead of the football World Cup from June 14 to July 15, with matches in a number of cities.

 

(Reporting by Katya Golubkova, editing by David Evans)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-03-12

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

After several minutes Putin received another call, he said, informing him that it was a false alarm - the passenger was drunk

given the tremendous number of airplane passengers worldwide and the law of large numbers, i am surprised this type of scenario doesn't happen more pften 

[ChrisY1]

I don't believe much of what this despot says....and I doubt this article is genuine, or just the media bragging of Putins machoness!

[Andaman Al]

A tough ballsy call to make but perhaps not one that should be advertised and bragged about.

 

This is not the time to be flying anywhere in the USA ! When Trump hears about this he will want a bit of one-up-manship, he could be ordering passenger aircraft to be shot down for any reason. It would get better ratings and he needs to keep up to stay in favour with the Putin, Kim Jong and Duterte club.  

[Proboscis]

4 hours ago, YetAnother said:

given the tremendous number of airplane passengers worldwide and the law of large numbers, i am surprised this type of scenario doesn't happen more pften 

How can someone get onto a plane these days with a weapon of any kind? I don't know how many times I have been stopped during security checks (in every part of the world, including EU, Africa and Asia) having forgotten a bottle of water in my carry-on luggage. This is the reason why this type of scenario just does not happen despite what you describe as the law of large numbers.

[stevenl]

And what has Turkish Airlines to say about this?

[Morch]

3 hours ago, stevenl said:

And what has Turkish Airlines to say about this?

 

Pegasus, actually. The pilots didn't let him inside the cockpit, used screens and PA system to full him into thinking they were flying to, and even landing in Sochi. In fact, they flew to Istanbul and landed there, where the drunk, bomb-less kidnapper was promptly apprehended.

[Morch]

7 hours ago, Andaman Al said:

A tough ballsy call to make but perhaps not one that should be advertised and bragged about.

 

This is not the time to be flying anywhere in the USA ! When Trump hears about this he will want a bit of one-up-manship, he could be ordering passenger aircraft to be shot down for any reason. It would get better ratings and he needs to keep up to stay in favour with the Putin, Kim Jong and Duterte club.  

 

Take  your meds.

[Andaman Al]

37 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

Take  your meds.

I wish my life was as light and fun as yours. Are you Stadler or Waldorf from the muppets?

[Morch]

1 minute ago, Andaman Al said:

I wish my life was as light and fun as yours. Are you Stadler or Waldorf from the muppets?

 

I think it's them blue pills you need. Take care.

 

[Andaman Al]

1 minute ago, Morch said:

 

I think it's them blue pills you need. Take care.

 

Ah yes, I swallowed two of those once, they got stuck and I had a stiff neck for 3 days.