The alleged stowaway walked across the aircraft and adjusted seats commonly. He requested two meals at every meal service. He tried to strike up conversations with fellow passengers. And at one level, he even tried to eat some chocolate belonging to the crew members, in response to an affidavit filed by an FBI agent investigating the case.
Ochigava pleaded not responsible this month to violating a bit of the U.S. legal code that stops anybody from boarding or secreting themselves on an airplane or vessel with out the consent of the proprietor or particular person in command. Ochigava is because of seem in court docket Dec. 26. His legal professional didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Based on the affidavit filed by FBI agent Caroline A. Walling, Ochigava advised her and one other FBI activity pressure officer in a Nov. 5 interview that he hadn’t slept for 3 days and didn’t perceive what was occurring.
“Ochigava didn’t bear in mind how he received on the aircraft in Copenhagen. Ochigava additionally wouldn’t clarify how or when he received to Copenhagen or what he was doing there,” Walling stated within the affidavit. She stated he claimed he didn’t know the way he had handed by way of safety checks and not using a ticket.
Throughout the Nov. 5 interview, Ochigava allowed the brokers to briefly scroll by way of the images on his cellphone. The newest {photograph} confirmed tv screens displaying flight info for locations all over the world together with Amsterdam, Munich and London, together with phrases written in Danish. One other was a screenshot of a map displaying the placement of a hostel in Kiel, Germany, and maps from one other unknown overseas metropolis. The brokers utilized within the Nov. 6 affidavit for a search warrant for his iPhone, in an effort to piece collectively his actions and any file of journey paperwork or visa functions.
Ochigava advised the FBI brokers he had a PhD in economics and advertising and marketing, and labored in Russia “way back.”
The affidavit said that the Scandinavian Airways flight arrived at Los Angeles airport about 1 p.m. Nov. 4. Surveillance footage confirmed a person resembling Ochigava disembarking the plane about 1:08 p.m.
“When Ochigava introduced himself for entry on the Customs and Border Safety (CBP) checkpoint at LAX, CBP officers found that Ochigava was not a listed passenger on the flight manifest for SK 931, or some other incoming worldwide flight. Ochigava was unable to provide a passport or a visa to enter the US,” Walling wrote within the affidavit.
Talking in English, Ochigava allegedly advised border officers that he had left his passport on the aircraft. They may not discover his passport quantity listed on their system — as would usually be required for anybody reserving a U.S.-bound flight. Border officers searched his bag and located Russian and Israeli id paperwork, however no worldwide passport for both nation. No passport was discovered on the aircraft.
Scandinavian Airways stated in an announcement to The Washington Submit that they’ve “already altered some procedures at gate after the incident befell.”
The FBI affidavit stated throughout boarding, crew members observed Ochigava sit, 36D, that was meant to be unoccupied. However they didn’t see his boarding cross. Some crew members additionally did a head depend for his or her sections, however didn’t tally the numbers up throughout the plane.
A lot of the passengers “ignored him” regardless of his obvious efforts at small discuss, one crew member stated.