A Russian-Israeli dual national, identified as Sergey Vladimirovich Ochigava, will be investigated by the authorities after he managed to successfully fly from Europe to the West Coast of the United States without possessing a passport, visa, ticket, or any evidence of his presence on the flight.
According to the Independent, the mysterious incident happened when Ochigava boarded a Scandinavian Airlines flight in Copenhagen and then landed at Los Angeles International Airport on November 4, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Court documents show that upon arrival in California, customs and border officers found out that Ochigava was not listed on the passenger records for the flight from Denmark nor on any other flight entering the United States. He further claims that he has no idea how he reached the US without any documentation.
However, several crew members reported Ochigava had odd behaviour during the flight, wandering around the plane and frequently changing seats. They also said that he requested two meals during each meal service. Flight personnel did not verify his boarding pass, and it was noted that the seat he was sitting in during the flight was, in fact, meant to be unoccupied.
Ochigava, who is being held in custody, is now facing charges of stowing away on an aircraft as part of the FBI investigation that has been investigated.
Agent Caroline Walling filed the complaint and noted that Ochigava claimed to have not slept for three days and pointed out that he felt confused about the situation. He admitted to the possibility of having a plane ticket to the United States but was not sure and could not recall how he hopped on the plane in Copenhagen or passed the security guards at the Danish airport.
Examining his device, authorities revealed that the most recent pictures he has included television screens with flight information for various destinations worldwide, such as Amsterdam, Munich, Lisbon, Malaga, and London.
Copenhagen Airport confirmed that Ochigava’s presence on the flight was unauthorised, and he had boarded the plane without a valid ticket. The airport is in contact with authorities and has surveillance materials ready for the ongoing investigation.
We can see from our surveillance that he has entered without a valid ticket. Copenhagen Airport has provided photo and video material to the authorities who are investigating the case. We take the matter very seriously, and it will be included in the work we continuously do to adjust and tighten our guidelines to improve security.
While confirming the incident, Scandinavian Airlines noted that the matter is being investigated by the authorities in both the United States and Denmark.