MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th May, 2021) The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) expressed concerns on Sunday over the alleged forced landing of a Ryanair plane in Minsk, which could have violated the Chicago Convention.

"ICAO is strongly concerned by the apparent forced landing of a Ryanair flight and its passengers, which could be in contravention of the Chicago Convention. We look forward to more information being officially confirmed by the countries and operators concerned," the organization tweeted.

The Convention on International Civil Aviation, also known as the Chicago Convention, entered into force in 1947. It establishes the basic principles that enable international air transport.

Earlier on Sunday, the press service of the Minsk National Airport told Sputnik that a Ryanair plane en route from Athens to Vilnius had to make an emergency landing in Minsk over a bomb threat, which later turned out to be fake. A fighter jet was deployed to escort the plane. It was reported later that Roman Protasevich, founder of the Telegram channel Nexta, tagged as extremist by Minsk, was detained during the stopover at the airport.

The plane was cleared for take off from Minsk on Sunday evening and arrived in Vilnius at 18:27 GMT. The Minsk airport insisted that the decision to land in Belarus was made by the Ryanair captain and according to the international law.