#ET702 update: Geneva airspace 'closed', other planes reportedly diverted or circling; statement from Ethiopian Airlines posted, deleted, reappears

#ET702 Looks like UA 148 EWR-GVA is in high altitude pattern over France
UA 974 IAD-GVA still heading toward GVA ETA 0702

— United Fleet Website (@UnitedFleetWebs) February 17, 2014

As Twitchy told you earlier tonight, news broke on Twitter of a possible hijacked plane, #ET702, that landed in Geneva, Switzerland. Aviation journalists and social media users on Twitter say that air traffic controllers have announced the airport and/or airspace is “closed.” The reported move has left at least one other plane in a high-altitude/holding pattern above France.

https://twitter.com/danielharwell/status/435288473428193280

https://twitter.com/KatzOnEarth/status/435288760121438208

According to this screenshot, another flight originating from Abu Dhabi has been diverted.

Pic. of Geneva Airport website, showing hijacked flight 'Arrived' at Geneva, Abu Dhabi flight 'Diverted'.#ET702 pic.twitter.com/MEBJFdpV1K

— HelloBeautifulPhoto (@sayhellorebekah) February 17, 2014

Twitchy will continue to monitor and update.

Update: Here’s a statement from Ethiopian Airlines, which says Flight 702 was “forced to proceed” to Geneva.

BREAKING: Ethiopian Airlines issues statement regarding Flight 702 saying plane "forced to proceed" to Geneva … pic.twitter.com/YGyHYKhqV6

— Peter Paul Media (@PeterPaulMedia) February 17, 2014

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Hmm. Ethiopian Airlines has apparently deleted its press release. But Twitter, and Twitchy, are forever.

Ethiopian Airlines has deleted its press release. Here it is, because screengrabs are forever. #ET702 pic.twitter.com/5VGyLfUm4e

— John Walton ?️‍? ✈️ ?? (@thatjohn) February 17, 2014

Ethiopian have now deleted their initial odd statement.

— Jack Barrett (@JBarrett91) February 17, 2014

@thatjohn I noticed that. This is really odd. What is going on? #ET702

— Elizabeth Ash (@ElizCro) February 17, 2014

#ET702 @flyethiopian pulls press release of forced landing in GVA, follow and see it here: http://t.co/iZlnGaG5pZ

— Brandon (@BrandonDuh) February 17, 2014

And the press release is back online.

Ethiopian’s original press release appears to be back online with the only difference being the addition of “ET” to the flight number #ET702

— John Walton ?️‍? ✈️ ?? (@thatjohn) February 17, 2014