SUMMARY
After a fifty day trip to his homeland of Ukraine of which he was “drunk for the entire time,” Anatoliy N. Baranovich faces up to sixty years of prison for “damaging and disabling an aircraft and interference with a flight crew.”
According to a complaint made on his Boring 757 flight back to the United States, Baranovich woke as the plane was descending and began yelling in Russian, claiming that the plane’s wing was on fire and they were going to crash. Baranovich then ran to the back of the plane and tried to open the emergency exit door. A flight attendant ordered him to stop but nothing seemed to be getting through to the man. Baranovich managed to break the door and an inflatable slide and damage the fuselage all before several passengers grabbed the man and pinned him against the wall. His struggles continued until a former police officer pulled him to the ground.
The FBI does not believe the attack has any sort of connection to terrorism, simply blaming the behavior on his drunken stupor of the previous days. As of December 4th, the results of his trial have not been released.
IMPACT:
Baranovich and his family are going to be the ones who get the major backlash from this. Baranovich faces up to sixty years in prison if convicted; essentially a life sentence. While it is unclear as to whether he has a wife or children depending on him, the family will have to deal with his actions for many years to come. In addition, depending on the damage done to the plane and its passengers, it may cause airport security to increase once more. Although the event was not as major as some others that have occurred on planes, there is a definite possibility of a lasting impact.
OPINION:
While this event had the possibility of having some negative outcomes, the damage done was minimal. It’s not that people are overreacting because, as Americans, we have reason to fear terrorism on planes, but I don’t think that he deserves sixty years. A few years, yes, but this man does not have a history of violence. There is no evidence of terrorist intentions. Put him away for a few years and then get over it.
After a fifty day trip to his homeland of Ukraine of which he was “drunk for the entire time,” Anatoliy N. Baranovich faces up to sixty years of prison for “damaging and disabling an aircraft and interference with a flight crew.”
According to a complaint made on his Boring 757 flight back to the United States, Baranovich woke as the plane was descending and began yelling in Russian, claiming that the plane’s wing was on fire and they were going to crash. Baranovich then ran to the back of the plane and tried to open the emergency exit door. A flight attendant ordered him to stop but nothing seemed to be getting through to the man. Baranovich managed to break the door and an inflatable slide and damage the fuselage all before several passengers grabbed the man and pinned him against the wall. His struggles continued until a former police officer pulled him to the ground.
The FBI does not believe the attack has any sort of connection to terrorism, simply blaming the behavior on his drunken stupor of the previous days. As of December 4th, the results of his trial have not been released.
IMPACT:
Baranovich and his family are going to be the ones who get the major backlash from this. Baranovich faces up to sixty years in prison if convicted; essentially a life sentence. While it is unclear as to whether he has a wife or children depending on him, the family will have to deal with his actions for many years to come. In addition, depending on the damage done to the plane and its passengers, it may cause airport security to increase once more. Although the event was not as major as some others that have occurred on planes, there is a definite possibility of a lasting impact.
OPINION:
While this event had the possibility of having some negative outcomes, the damage done was minimal. It’s not that people are overreacting because, as Americans, we have reason to fear terrorism on planes, but I don’t think that he deserves sixty years. A few years, yes, but this man does not have a history of violence. There is no evidence of terrorist intentions. Put him away for a few years and then get over it.