Co-pilot arrested after plane forced to land at Geneva

The co-pilot that hijacked an Ethiopian Airlines plane has been named as Hailemedhin Abera Tegegn, aged 31.

The second-in-command landed the plane in Geneva and exited via a cockpit window before handing himself over to the Swiss police.

Audio has been released of the co-pilot that hijacked an Ethiopian Airlines flight telling air traffic control he will climb out of the plane's window once it has landed.

According to a police spokesman and Geneva airport CEO Robert Deillon, the co-pilot locked the cabin door when the pilot went to the toilet, and keyed a distress code for 'I just hijacked the aircraft' into the aircraft's transponder.

Claiming he wanted asylum in Switzerland, the unnamed co-pilot landed the plane in Geneva before gaving himself up to the police.

Audio courtesy of @matthewkeyslive.

A rope which police said a co-pilot used to flee an Ethiopian Airlines plane he hijacked and landed at Geneva Airport in a bid for asylum has been seen dangling from the aircraft's cockpit.

The unnamed co-pilot, an Ethiopian born in 1983, asked to refuel at Geneva before landing and gave himself up to police after escaping the plane.

Geneva police have said the co-pilot who hijacked a Ethiopian Airlines plane took control of the aircraft when the pilot went to the toilet, landed the plane and left the aircraft through a window on a rope, Reuters has reported.

Police said the co-pilot was not armed and posed no risk to passengers or crew at any point.

The co-pilot of the hijacked Ethiopian Airlines plane that was forced to ground at Geneva Airport surrendered to police and has asked for asylum in Switzerland, Geneva police have told Reuters.

Geneva Airport has announced it has resumed service after a "temporary closure" caused by the forced landing of a hijacked Ethiopian Airlines plane.

The airport's website shows a flight from Brussels is due to land at 09:01 local time, after a series of diversions and cancellations.

An EasyJet service from London Gatwick, flight EZY8462, is scheduled to land at the airport at 09:32 local time.

Passengers on board the hijacked Ethiopian Airlines plane in Geneva have been searched by police as they disembarked the aircraft.

The passengers then boarded a bus near the plane, which was parked near the end of the runway away from the terminal building.

The Ethiopian Airlines plane forced to land in Geneva after being hijacked has been seen surrounded by vehicles after its forced landing at the Swiss airport.

The airport's police have confirmed one hijacker has been arrested and all passengers and crew are safe.

Geneva Airport's website has listed all scheduled incoming flights over the next hour as diverted or cancelled after a hijacked Ethiopian Airlines plane was forced to land on its runway.

The hijacker of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that was forced to land at Geneva Airport has been arrested, airport police have told Reuters.

They say the situation is "under control" and no one has suffered injuries.