Published on : Tuesday, January 22, 2019
As a result the Aeroflot plane, travelling from Surgut in western Siberia to Moscow, landed in the nearby city Khanty-Mansiysk.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said the man — who was not identified — was “in a drunken state”.
He has been detained after the aircraft landed in Khanty-Mansiysk, some 2,600 kilometres east of Moscow.
A criminal probe was opened into the incident, investigators said.
“Threatening that he had a weapon, he tried to break into the cockpit during the flight and demanded to change the course of the aircraft,” investigators said in a statement.
“The aircraft commander made the decision to make a forced landing in Khanty-Mansiysk,” the statement said.
Russian state media published a video apparently shot by a passenger showing the man being detained by several armed masked men inside the plane.
The pilot is heard thanking passengers — who appeared calm — for their “understanding in the situation” to the sound of applause.
Investigators said that the man was a resident of Surgut previously convicted for damaging property.
Russian media reported that authorities had cut off access to Khanty-Mansiysk Airport.
Aeroflot said that “no passengers or crew were hurt” and that it had sent a plane to take the stranded passengers to Moscow.
“The incident did not affect the work of the company. All flights are on schedule,” Aeroflot said in a statement.
However, Russia’s flagship carrier added that the airline’s “security and technical services are in a state of heightened vigilance.”