A Russian man named Sergey Vladimirovich Ochigava managed to fly from Copenhagen to Los Angeles without a passport, visa, ticket, or any record of his presence on the flight, according to court records. The incident has raised serious security concerns and highlighted potential loopholes in airport security protocols.
According to an affidavit, Ochigava, a dual national of Russia and Israel, traveled from Copenhagen to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Scandinavian Airlines on November 4th at 1 p.m. What’s alarming is that he was not listed as a passenger on the flight manifest for SK 931 or any other incoming international flight.
Eyewitnesses, including the flight crew, reported that Ochigava was seen wandering around the plane and frequently changing his seat. He even asked for two meals during each meal service and attempted to eat chocolate that belonged to the cabin crew. The crew members did not see his boarding pass but noticed that the seat he initially took was supposed to be unoccupied.
Although some members of the crew conducted head counts for their specific sections, it seems their focus was primarily on balancing the aircraft for takeoff and landing rather than verifying passengers. Ochigava reportedly tried to engage with other passengers, but most of them ignored him.
Upon questioning, Ochigava provided false and misleading information about his travel to the United States. Initially, he claimed to have left his U.S. passport on the airplane, but it was later discovered that he didn’t have a passport at all. Instead, he had Russian and Israeli identification cards, as well as a partial photograph of a passport on his phone, which did not show the passport holder’s picture.
An FBI agent, Caroline Walling, who filed the complaint, conducted an interview with Ochigava on November 5th. During the interview, Ochigava claimed to have a Ph.D. in economics and marketing but stated that he hadn’t been sleeping for three days and didn’t understand what was happening. He couldn’t remember how he got on the plane in Copenhagen or explain how he went through security without a ticket.
Ochigava is now facing charges of being a stowaway on an aircraft. He is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center, with his trial scheduled for December 26th, subject to change. The investigation into this incident is still ongoing.
The incident raises significant concerns about airport security and the potential for individuals to bypass protocols designed to ensure the safety and integrity of air travel. Authorities are working to identify any lapses in security procedures and address them to prevent similar incidents in the future. Scandinavian Airlines has not yet provided a comment on the matter.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of robust security measures and the need for continuous evaluation and improvement to ensure the safety of passengers and the integrity of air travel systems.
