Georgian arrested for plane hijack attempt

A Georgian man was arrested in Belarus today after he attempted to hijack a Belavia Airlines plane flying to the Belarusian capital Minsk.

The plane departed Kutaisi, a city in western Georgia, and flew for some time before the Georgian passenger attempted to hijack the plane.

Belarus' National Security Agency said a passenger on board the plane sent a note to the captain of the aircraft, claimed he had a bomb and threatened to blow up the aircraft. He demanded the plane to change course for a European country.

The passenger threatened to blow up the plane if his demands were not met.

The pilot managed to land the plane, which was carrying 32 passengers and four crew members, at its intended destination Minsk.

Once the plane landed, anti-terrorism agents stormed the aircraft and entered into talks with the alleged hijacker.

"As a result of negotiations, the criminal agreed to disembark from the aircraft and ... voluntarily surrendered to KGB officials," the Security Agency said.

Details of the passenger have not been released however authorities stated the man was a Georgian national and he was born in 1973.

Experts have begun to investigate today’s incident.

On suspicion of attempting to hijack an aircraft, a charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years in jail, according to the Belarusian law.

Georgia’s Foreign Ministry said Georgia’s Embassy in Belarus was working to clarify further details of the incident.