Upon arrival in Lithuania, the police questioned the pilots.
This was announced by the General Police Commissioner of Lithuania Renatas Posela.
“Pilots were a priority. We wanted to hear their story. How did they see the situation? What did they do? Were there any other plans?” – Posela said in an interview with the publication.
He said that the six people who boarded the flight to Athens did not end up in Vilnius. Among them are the founder of the Nexta Telegram channel, recognized as extremist in Belarus, Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega, who were detained in Belarus. The identities of four more are being checked by the Lithuanian police.
Pozela also noted that investigators will interview passengers on the flight this week. The commissioner did not provide any other details.
It should be reminded that the Ryanair plane flying from Athens to Vilnius on May 23 urgently landed at the Minsk airport due to a message about mining. Belarusian human rights activists reported that this plane was flown by Roman Protasevich, the founder of the Nexta Telegram channel, recognized as extremist in Belarus. While checking documents at the Minsk airport, Protasevich was detained. A criminal case was initiated against him under several articles, including the article “organizing mass riots”. He could face up to 15 years in prison.