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Re: Sochi
Very interesting that the first link has already been disabled in the last 24 hours...............just as interesting is the countries involved in this story......Ukraine & turcey....................mmmmm..............no drums to beat there eh?
ISTANBUL — A passenger aboard a commercial airline flight from Ukraine to Turkey tried to hijack it to Sochi, Russia, on Friday after the Winter Olympics started. He threatened to set off a bomb with a cellphone if his demands were not met, but the crew fooled him — and the other passengers — into thinking the plane had landed in Sochi when it was actually in Istanbul, passengers and the authorities said.
The man, a 45-year-old Ukrainian, was seized by special security forces as the Turkish aircraft, a Pegasus Airlines Boeing 737-800 with 110 passengers, was being evacuated at Sabiha Gokcen Airport, according to Huseyin Avni Mutlu, the governor of Istanbul.
The government scrambled two F-16 warplanes, which escorted the jetliner as it landed, reflecting the heightened fears of terrorism as the Sochi Olympics got underway.
A passenger, Mehmet Tutar, said the pilot even announced that they had arrived in Sochi. “I didn’t even see him,” said Mr. Tutar, who was seated in the back of the plane, referring to the hijacker. “I just heard something. I thought it was a drunk guy.”
Launch media viewer
Suspect in the hijacking. Bulent Kilic/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Passengers’ relatives and friends who went to Sabiha Gokcen, on the Asian side of Istanbul, described tense cellphone conversations with those on the plane.
“We came here early to pick up my father’s wife,” Firat Altan, 19, said. “She was very anxious when I talked to her on the phone, and said the hijacker could not be persuaded by the crew and yelled that he had a bomb on board. I heard some passengers crying in the background.”
Mufit Goren, who was waiting for two female friends on board, said they told him that “the hijacker constantly threatened to detonate a bomb with his mobile if anyone neared him, and said he wanted to go to Sochi. He could freely walk along the aisles even when Turkish channels reported that he was taken under control by the security forces.”
Passengers were reachable on their telephones for nearly four hours until the security units entered the aircraft. Traffic to and from the airport was halted until the authorities announced that the plane had been secured and the Ukrainian passenger was in custody.
Turkish news organizations reported that the man made his threats soon after the flight left Kharkov in Ukraine. The pilot then alerted the authorities in Turkey.
SOCHI 2014
Complete coverage of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
News | Photos
“In the beginning he was thinking that he was going to Sochi,” Mr. Mutlu said. “Of course, sometime later, he realized that he was in Istanbul, in Turkey. It would not have been good to tell him right away.”
The hijacker agreed to the evacuation of children, women and older passengers, and once the evacuation started, other passengers were also helped out of the plane, leaving the hijacker alone with the crew, the governor said. The security forces then entered the aircraft and subdued the hijacker “in a swift, quick and effective manner.”
Mr. Mutlu said the hijacker, who was not immediately identified, had a suitcase with electronic equipment but no bomb. He was not drunk but might have taken some sort of medication to remain alert, Mr. Mutlu added.
The hijacker’s possible organizational links and motives were yet to be investigated, Mr. Mutlu said, telling reporters that the man had refused to cooperate with the authorities.
Turkish news reports said the man was taken to the Istanbul Police Headquarters, as television footage showed the plane parked with fire brigades and ambulances surrounding it. Habib Soluk, a Transportation Ministry official, was quoted on Turkish television saying the pilots had darkened the cabin lights to reinforce their claim that the plane was in Sochi.
As it happened, the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was in Sochi to attend the opening ceremony of the Games.Comment
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Threats to Sochi Winter Olympics
Perhaps this could be the place to post an incidents regarding the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics?
Putin seems to expect a few. BTW, the first link has been disabled, it was working 24 hours or so ago.
ISTANBUL — A passenger aboard a commercial airline flight from Ukraine to Turkey tried to hijack it to Sochi, Russia, on Friday after the Winter Olympics started. He threatened to set off a bomb with a cellphone if his demands were not met, but the crew fooled him — and the other passengers — into thinking the plane had landed in Sochi when it was actually in Istanbul, passengers and the authorities said.
The man, a 45-year-old Ukrainian, was seized by special security forces as the Turkish aircraft, a Pegasus Airlines Boeing 737-800 with 110 passengers, was being evacuated at Sabiha Gokcen Airport, according to Huseyin Avni Mutlu, the governor of Istanbul.
The government scrambled two F-16 warplanes, which escorted the jetliner as it landed, reflecting the heightened fears of terrorism as the Sochi Olympics got underway.
A passenger, Mehmet Tutar, said the pilot even announced that they had arrived in Sochi. “I didn’t even see him,” said Mr. Tutar, who was seated in the back of the plane, referring to the hijacker. “I just heard something. I thought it was a drunk guy.”
Launch media viewer
Suspect in the hijacking. Bulent Kilic/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Passengers’ relatives and friends who went to Sabiha Gokcen, on the Asian side of Istanbul, described tense cellphone conversations with those on the plane.
“We came here early to pick up my father’s wife,” Firat Altan, 19, said. “She was very anxious when I talked to her on the phone, and said the hijacker could not be persuaded by the crew and yelled that he had a bomb on board. I heard some passengers crying in the background.”
Mufit Goren, who was waiting for two female friends on board, said they told him that “the hijacker constantly threatened to detonate a bomb with his mobile if anyone neared him, and said he wanted to go to Sochi. He could freely walk along the aisles even when Turkish channels reported that he was taken under control by the security forces.”
Passengers were reachable on their telephones for nearly four hours until the security units entered the aircraft. Traffic to and from the airport was halted until the authorities announced that the plane had been secured and the Ukrainian passenger was in custody.
Turkish news organizations reported that the man made his threats soon after the flight left Kharkov in Ukraine. The pilot then alerted the authorities in Turkey.
SOCHI 2014
Complete coverage of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
News | Photos
“In the beginning he was thinking that he was going to Sochi,” Mr. Mutlu said. “Of course, sometime later, he realized that he was in Istanbul, in Turkey. It would not have been good to tell him right away.”
The hijacker agreed to the evacuation of children, women and older passengers, and once the evacuation started, other passengers were also helped out of the plane, leaving the hijacker alone with the crew, the governor said. The security forces then entered the aircraft and subdued the hijacker “in a swift, quick and effective manner.”
Mr. Mutlu said the hijacker, who was not immediately identified, had a suitcase with electronic equipment but no bomb. He was not drunk but might have taken some sort of medication to remain alert, Mr. Mutlu added.
The hijacker’s possible organizational links and motives were yet to be investigated, Mr. Mutlu said, telling reporters that the man had refused to cooperate with the authorities.
Turkish news reports said the man was taken to the Istanbul Police Headquarters, as television footage showed the plane parked with fire brigades and ambulances surrounding it. Habib Soluk, a Transportation Ministry official, was quoted on Turkish television saying the pilots had darkened the cabin lights to reinforce their claim that the plane was in Sochi.
As it happened, the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was in Sochi to attend the opening ceremony of the Games.Comment
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Re: Sochi
Thanks for ruining the sports thread guys...like you cant talk about this sshhiitt in another thread? Went to a friends house to watch the opening ceremonies last night. I thought it was cool with a lot of history on display (was a bit long but so is their history). Anyone know who the young lady was to the left of Putin(his left our right)? Saw the Armenians marching and the commentator was going on about how just being there is a big deal for some countries which have no chance to win...Would be nice to see some of our athletes in action. I wonder if it was the cold or what but it seemed like Putin had a face lift...seems like the thing to do these days
Hayastan or Bust.Comment
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Re: Sochi
Originally posted by Haykakan View PostThanks for ruining the sports thread guys...like you cant talk about this sshhiitt in another thread? Went to a friends house to watch the opening ceremonies last night. I thought it was cool with a lot of history on display (was a bit long but so is their history). Anyone know who the young lady was to the left of Putin(his left our right)? Saw the Armenians marching and the commentator was going on about how just being there is a big deal for some countries which have no chance to win...Would be nice to see some of our athletes in action. I wonder if it was the cold or what but it seemed like Putin had a face lift...seems like the thing to do these days
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Re: Sochi
Ave my tv to a gal who had 3strkes in a row & became bed ridden.
Never bothered getting another.
What events are we competing in? And do you think we really don't stand a chance?
With all our mountains, I'd think we'd have some ski slopes right?Comment
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Re: Sochi
Lots of skiing going on today but i have not seen any of the Armenian athletes yet. The events have been very competitive so its fun to watch.Hayastan or Bust.Comment
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Re: Sochi
Olympics open in Russia’s most Armenian city
Four Armenian athletes to take part in skiing competitions
by Emil Sanamyan
Published: Friday February 07, 2014
Washington - The 22nd Winter Olympics got underway in Sochi, Russia, the first time an international event of this magnitude is being held in the Caucasus region and Armenia's neighborhood.
"As a Sochi native, I was very proud to watch an amazing display of history, elegance, and sportsmanship during the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games," Sam Tatevosyan, now resident in Washington told the Armenian Reporter. "Sochi has undergone an unprecedented transformation over the last several years and many of its Armenian residents have contributed significantly to this historic occasion."
The Russian Glendale
The city of Sochi carries the distinction of having the largest proportion of ethnic Armenian population in Russia. Official estimates put the Armenian population of Sochi at between 50 and 70,000 out of the city's total population of 368,000.
By contrast, according to the 2010 U.S. census, Glendale's Armenian population numbers over 65,000 or more than one-third of the total population of under 200,000.
Sochi is of course much closer to Yerevan, just an hour and fiften-minute flight.
Like Glendale, Sochi is a relatively new city. A military fort was established in the 1830s and a resort began in 1900s. First Armenians began to settle in what soon became Sochi in the 1860s; they were mostly Hamshen Armenian refugees from Turkey. More arrived in the consequence of the Genocide and continued to arrive throughout the Soviet and post-Soviet period.
In the 1990s, the Sochi community saw the establishment of four Armenian Apostolic parishes and an Armenian Evangelical Church. There is also an Armenian Catholic community originally from Georgia.
A modest representation
As in previous winter games, Armenia dispatched a modest delegation of four skiers to compete this year's Olympics.
21-year-old Katya Galstyan, the country's only female representative, is from Armenia's traditional sports powerhouse, Gyumri. She will compete in cross-country skiing.
21-year-old Sergey Mikayelyan, who carried Armenia's flag at the games' opening ceremony, is the only athlete with past Olympic experience, having debuted at Vancouver. Born in Gorno-Altaysk, Russia is coached by his father Artur Mikayelyan and mother Alla Kapchikaeva (herself a 1988 Olympian). According to Mikayelyan's Olympic profile he is currently on leave from the Armenian army.
23-year-old Artur Yeghoyan, born in Armenia's northern town of Ashotsk, also trains with Artur Mikayelyan in cross-country skiing.
And 26-year-old alpine skier Arman Serebrakian has taken time off from medical school to follow in the footsteps of his little sister Ani-Matilda Serebrakian who represented Armenia in the 2010 Olympics. Serebrakians were born and raised in northern California, where their parents moved from Iran.
In the neighborhood
After initial indications it might boycott the games over the fallout from 2008 war, Georgia dispatched three skiers and one skater. Azerbaijan is also represented by four athletes, but just as in 2010, their entire representation comes from other countries: a skating couple from Russia and skiers from Austria and Italy. Turkey dispatched six athletes, four skiers and two skaters, and Iran - five skiers.
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Re: Sochi
Are the Hamshen Armenians in Sochi that came in 1860 Christians?Originally posted by Mher View Post
Was 1860 when then Hamshen Armenians were FORCED by the scum to become Muslim to save their lives?Comment
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Re: Sochi
No I believe the Hamshens were converted a few centuries earlier. These people were already MuslimsOriginally posted by Artashes View PostComment
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