Soviet Pilot Hijacks Aircraft from Saldus Airport and Ditches Off Gotland (CCCP-70501)

Incident Overview and Flight Path A single-engine aircraft was parked at Saldus Airport in Latvia when it was stolen by a Soviet pilot. The pilot's stated objective was to fly to Sweden. He successfully departed Soviet airspace and proceeded toward Gotland Island. During the approach to the island, the aircraft ditched in the water a few dozen meters offshore. The pilot was able to swim to the shore, was rescued, and subsequently requested political asylum. The aircraft was later recovered and transferred to the Gotland Förvarsmuseum. The source does not specify the aircraft type, registration, date, operator, or exact cause of the ditching.