Interim investigation by ICAO (from Organization website)
From the ICAO Council meeting on June 28, 2021.
"Interim report into incident involving Ryanair Flight FR4978 in Belarus airspace on 23 May 2021
1. The Council considered this item on the basis of a C-WP/15224, which presented the interim report of the fact-finding investigation team into the incident involving Ryanair Flight FR4978 in Belarus airspace on 23 May 2021. The Council was joined in its deliberations by representatives from the non-Council Member States of Belarus, Ireland, Lithuania, and Poland.
2. Following consideration, the Council:
a) recalled its earlier decision on this subject (C-DEC 223/2 refers) in which the Council had initiated a fact-finding investigation in order to determine the relevant facts of this event;
b) welcomed the preliminary information provided and recognising the constricted timeframe, expressed appreciation to the Secretariat for the investigative efforts undertaken, while at the same time acknowledging that the information and materials received to date remained insufficient for the purposes of definitively determining the facts and specific sequence of events;
c) took note therefore, that the investigation remained ongoing, and in this connection underscored that these efforts should continue to be carried out in a transparent and impartial manner;
d) reiterated the importance of establishing the facts of what had happened, and in this connection, expressed appreciation to those Member States that had conveyed documentation and materials to the investigation, and encouraged all relevant stakeholders to continue to collaborate with the investigation and to comply with ICAO’s requests for information in a timely manner; and
e) requested the Secretariat to present an updated report of the investigation at the first meeting of the 224th Session, which is scheduled to occur on 13 September 2021."