An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 777-200 freighter, performing flight from Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) to Hong Kong (China) with 6 crew, violated air space regulations.

• Aircraft was enroute at FL410 near the equator crossing into Indonesian Airspace, about 1200nm south of the great circle route and the usual company route, when Indonesia dispatched fighter aircraft to intercept the freighter due to a missing overflight permission.
• The fighter aircraft accompanied the aircraft to Hang Nadim Airport on Indonesia’s Island of Batam, where the aircraft landed safely about 9 hours after departure from Addis Ababa, at about the estimated time of arrival into Hong Kong.
• Hang Nadim Airport reported the aircraft had departed Addis Ababa for Hong Kong.
• Indonesia’s Air Force reported the aircraft had no permission to overfly Indonesia and was intercepted as result. The aircraft has been directed to land on Batam Island and is currently being kept there.
• The airline claimed the aircraft had departed Addis Ababa for Singapore (Singapore) to deliver a replacement engine to Singapore. According to ICAO convention article 5 an unscheduled flight can overfly the airspace of a friendly country without prior permission, the airline stated.