Pegasus B738 near Sochi on Feb 7th 2014, suspected hijack attempt

Last Update: February 7, 2014 / 23:48:17 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Feb 7, 2014

Classification
Incident

Airline
Pegasus Airlines

Flight number
PC-751

Departure
Kharkov, Ukraine

Destination
Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen, Turkey

Aircraft Registration
TC-CCP

Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-800

ICAO Type Designator
B738

A Pegasus Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration TC-CCP performing flight PC-751 from Kharkov (Ukraine) to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen (Turkey) with 110 people on board, was enroute at FL370 about 285nm northwest of Sochi (Russia) and about 50nm north of Simferopol (Ukraine) when the crew activated the transponder code for unlawful interference. Turkish fighter aircraft were dispatched to accompany the aircraft to Istanbul. The aircraft maintained the unlawful interference squawk until after landing in Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport about one hour later and taxied to a remote secure area. Turkish security forces entered the aircraft and arrested one of the passengers.

The airline confirmed a safety related incident involving a bomb threat on board of their flight PC-751.

Passengers reported a passenger claimed to have a bomb and wanted the aircraft to divert to Sochi where the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games 2014 were in progress. The man subsequently tried to enter the cockpit but did not succeed.

Turkish security forces were deployed to Sabiha Gokcen Airport and arrested a passenger, a search for explosives was initiated.

The governor in Istanbul reported later in the evening that no explosives were found on board of the aircraft. A man, carrying a bag containing personal electronic items, had claimed to have a bomb, but never made it into the cockpit. He did not appear to have consumed alcohol, however may have used other substances, at some point he thought the aircraft was destined to Sochi and demanded to go there.

Turkey's Ministry of Transportation stated that the man claimed to have a bomb and demanded to go to Sochi rather than to Sabiha Gokcen. He claimed the bomb was in the luggage hold.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry stated the man was citizen of the Ukraine.
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Feb 7, 2014

Classification
Incident

Airline
Pegasus Airlines

Flight number
PC-751

Departure
Kharkov, Ukraine

Destination
Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen, Turkey

Aircraft Registration
TC-CCP

Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-800

ICAO Type Designator
B738

This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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