At least it wasn't an ET961 situation this time. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_Airlines_Flight_961" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_Airlines_Flight_961</a><p>(Hijackers were too dumb to understand fuel loading policies; aircraft ended up ditching into the Indian Ocean. Amazingly, 50 pax survived.)
Plot twist: it was co-pilot. Source: press conference<p><i>Edit</i>: video here <a href="http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/romandie/story/Das-Flugzeug-wurde-vom-Kopilot-entfuehrt-22505714" rel="nofollow">http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/romandie/story/Das-Flugzeug-wurd...</a><p>Can someone translate? (French). <i>Edit’</i>: scratch that. (There was a press conference recording (yes, in French))
Airline has confirmed hijacking. passengers and crew safe<p><a href="http://www.ethiopianairlines.com/en/news/default.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.ethiopianairlines.com/en/news/default.aspx</a>
Apparently the hijacker(s) wanted political asylum in Switzerland:<p><a href="http://www.jaunted.com/story/2014/2/17/02325/1000/travel/BREAKING%3A+Ethiopian+Plane+Hijacked%2C+Flown+to+Switzerland+for+Asylum" rel="nofollow">http://www.jaunted.com/story/2014/2/17/02325/1000/travel/BRE...</a>
Details are sketchy. It's believed to be hijacked. Having circled Geneva for some time, it's landed. The airport seems to be closed.<p>The air traffic control live stream:<p><a href="http://www.liveatc.net/search/?icao=gva" rel="nofollow">http://www.liveatc.net/search/?icao=gva</a><p>Anyone with any actual non-speculation, feel free to post.
Collating some information in this globally editable Google Doc <a href="https://docs.google.com/a/yencken.org/document/d/1uxcXrdPVauIJqeDnhzgppzIduiOYu5ZilvS7bYnh5lg/edit#" rel="nofollow">https://docs.google.com/a/yencken.org/document/d/1uxcXrdPVau...</a>
Hijacker has been arrested according to this:<p><a href="http://jpupdates.com/2014/02/17/breaking-hijacked-ethiopian-airline-landed-in-geneva-airport/" rel="nofollow">http://jpupdates.com/2014/02/17/breaking-hijacked-ethiopian-...</a>
I happened to be at the airport when it happened (still am). We got to hear that the airport closed due to "Operational problems". Plenty vague, but the internets prevails.
@cnnbrk reported this an hour after it happened [1]. I turned CNN on the television and they were showing an Anthony Bourdain show. Google News showed only 5 results.<p>Meanwhile, Twitter was streaming with links to flight maps and other updates.<p>I realize news media might have to do more due diligence before reporting but from the face of it they seemed completely unaware.<p>[1] <a href="https://twitter.com/cnnbrk/status/435294208824328192" rel="nofollow">https://twitter.com/cnnbrk/status/435294208824328192</a>
Its a hijacking:
Live reddit thread with updates from /r/Aviation<p><a href="http://np.reddit.com/r/aviation/comments/1y46mi/possible_hijacking_in_progress_eth_702_squawking/" rel="nofollow">http://np.reddit.com/r/aviation/comments/1y46mi/possible_hij...</a>
Local newspaper with details [French]: <a href="http://www.tdg.ch/geneve/actu-genevoise/Un-pirate-de-l-air-detourne-un-avion-vers-laeroport-de-Geneve/story/27179086" rel="nofollow">http://www.tdg.ch/geneve/actu-genevoise/Un-pirate-de-l-air-d...</a>
It's going in circle atm: <a href="http://www.flightradar24.com/ETH702/2ba40ab" rel="nofollow">http://www.flightradar24.com/ETH702/2ba40ab</a>