Ryan calls for independent review of diversion of Ryanair flight

Minister for Transport says grounding of plane in Belarus to arrest journalist was ‘unacceptable’ and ‘endangered the lives of passengers and crew’

Roman Protasevic, an outspoken critic of Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, was arrested when the Ryanair flight he was on was diverted to Minsk. Picture: Getty

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has called for an independent investigation into the “coercive” diversion and grounding of a Ryanair flight by Belarusian authorities last Sunday.

He made the call following a meeting of the Council of Ministers for Transport at the International Transport Forum (ITF) this morning.

Transport ministers of ITF member countries agreed to request the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to carry out a full review into the incident in which a ...