Latvian police have opened a criminal case over the landing of a Ryanair plane in Belarus in May, as two Latvian citizens were on board, according to the Latvian news agency LETA, citing police spokesman Simon Gravite.

The investigation began in late May, and now a decision has been made to open a criminal case under the article on crimes against freedom, honor and dignity.

The article provides for responsibility for abduction, unlawful deprivation of liberty and hostage-taking.

On May 23, a Ryanair plane flying from Athens to Vilnius unexpectedly landed in Minsk.

Belarusian air traffic controllers told the pilots that they had received a message about a bomb on board the plane and recommended to land in Minsk.

The plane took off over Lida, when the border with Lithuania was a few tens of kilometers.

Raman Protasevich and Sofia Sapieha flew this flight, both of them were detained.

In July, the dispatcher, who was in charge of the pilots, disappeared from Belarus with his family.