Russia plane 'hijack': First picture of man who 'demanded flight go to Afghanistan'

A "loser" behind a bizarre plane hijack that saw him threaten cabin members faces up to 12 years behind bars.



Pavel Shapovalov, 41, demanded that the Moscow-bound Aeroflot plane was diverted to Afghanistan.



The forester - who falsely boasted he had studied at Harvard - was detained by special forces officers at Khanty-Mansiysk airport in Russia.



He has been formally charged with hijacking.



Initial reports had said the loner sought to storm the cockpit and was “armed” and “drunk” on a Boeing 737 flight from Surgut in Russia when he demanded the plane should reroute.



Today it emerged he had no explosives or weapons, was entirely sober and - according to flight crew and passengers - made no attempt to reach the flight deck.