Investigations have been launched after Russian airline pilots made a penis-shaped flight path in support of a disgraced football captain.
The two crew members were piloting a Pobeda Airlines flight from Moscow to Yekaterinburg on 11 November when they made the strange maneuver.
A spokesperson for the low-cost airline told news.com.au that the pilots were probably expressing their support for the Russian football team captain, Artem Dzyuba.
Dzyuba was suspended from the international team after video footage that appeared to show him masturbating was made public.
It is being reported that the pilots requested to perform air manoeuvres to “check radio navigation equipment”, but Russian aviation authority Oleg Pantelev told local news that investigations were being conducted into whether they had permission.
Investigations are also being launched into whether the stunt was a threat to safety.
The pilot’s actions made the flight land 20 minutes later than scheduled.
Pobeda Airlines is a subsidiary of Russia’s national carrier, Aeroflot, which has been making headlines lately after one of its executive-level employees was arrested on suspicion of treason.
Dmitry Fedotkin, who is Aeroflot’s country and station manager in London, has been placed in pre-trial detention until 10 January 2021 for allegedly passing Russian secrets to British intelligence services.
This came as the Russian government has put forward its recommendation for Aeroflot’s new CEO.
Mikhail Poluboyarinov, who is head of Russia’s State Transport Leasing Company (GTLK), has been picked as the Kremlin’s favourite to lead the state carrier, according to Reuters.
Featured image source: FlightRadar24 via Aviation24.be
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