Russian spy plane nearly collides with SAS flight
An SAS airliner narrowly avoided a midair collision with a Russian military intelligence aircraft some 50 kilometers outside of Malmö, Swedish Television reported.
The incident occurred over international waters on 3 March, as SAS flight SK 681 was on its way to the Rome, according to the broadcaster. The Swedish flight changed course at the last moment to avoid the crash.
The Russian aircraft did not appear on the SAS plane’s warning system, but was visually spotted by SAS pilots. The aircraft passed within 90 meters of each other, considerably less than the safety minimum of 300 meters, SVT reported.
The Russian aircraft was an Ilyushin Il-20M signals intelligence plane, Jens Olsson, a Swedish investigators at the Accident Investigation Board, told SVT.
The incident remained under investigation.
Related Links:
Canada: Feature Interview: Will Russia’s actions in Ukraine affect relations in the Arctic Council?, Eye on the Arctic
Finland: Russian aerial exercises worry residents in eastern Finland, Yle News
Norway: Nordics rethink security after Ukraine crisis, Yle News
Russia: Russia puts countries on edge in the Arctic, Cryopolitics
Sweden: Sweden providing jets to NATO, Radio Sweden
United States: Can an aggressive Russia remain U.S.’s nice Arctic neighbor?, Alaska Public Radio Network
