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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Swiss authorities have arrested the hijacker of an Ethiopian Airlines flight that was forced to land at Geneva's international airport on Monday, airport officials told the Reuters news agency.

Airport police on Monday said the situation was "under control" and that passengers and crew were safe.

Ethiopian Airlines flight 702 bound for Rome from Addis Ababa was reportedly denied permission to land and circled Geneva for several minutes before it was "forced to proceed" to the airport, which had been temporarily closed by authorities.

An Ethiopian government spokesman, Redwan Hussein, told Reuters that the flight had made a scheduled stop in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, where he said the hijacker or hijackers might have boarded the flight.

"We don't know where they are from or how many they are but it looks like the hijacker or hijackers boarded the flight in Khartoum," Redwan added shortly before police announced they had detained the assailant.

Geneva police spokesman Jean-Philippe Brandt, told the Associated Press that the plane made an unscheduled landing in the Swiss city at 6am on Monday (0500 GMT).

Reports on social media said Ethiopian Airlines flight was flying over Sudan when it issued a distress signal, Squawk 7500, which is code indicating a hijacking.

*Agencies