(Web Desk) - A Russian man, Sergey Vladimirovich Ochigava, aged 46, has been convicted in the state of California for sneaking onboard a Scandinavian Airlines flight from Copenhagen to Los Angeles International Airport on Nov 4, 2023.
Ochigava faced charges for being a stowaway on the aircraft and could potentially serve a maximum sentence of five years.
American authorities apprehended Ochigava at Los Angeles Airport, citing issues with his travel documents.
Notably, he was found without a visa, ticket, and passport. The conviction stemmed from his actions during the 11-hour flight, where cabin crew members observed him switching between multiple seats listed as unoccupied.
The complaint, filed in Los Angeles federal court shortly after his arrest, outlined additional incidents during the flight. Ochigava reportedly roamed around the cabin, attempted to engage with fellow passengers who ignored him, and even requested two meals during each meal service.
At one point, he tried to consume chocolate that belonged to the cabin crew.
Upon landing in Los Angeles on November 4, Ochigava was met by US border agents. Surprisingly, they could not find any official record of his presence on the Scandinavian Airlines flight or any other flight.
Officials accused him of providing false and misleading information about his travel to the United States. Initially, Ochigava claimed to have forgotten his passport on the plane, but further investigation revealed his lack of any official travel documents.
During questioning, Ochigava admitted uncertainty about possessing a plane ticket and professed no memory of how he managed to board the flight, attributing it to three days of sleep deprivation.
He failed to produce a visa, passport, or any required travel document. A subsequent search of his bag uncovered both Russian and Israeli ID cards belonging to him.