FAA tells U.S. passenger carriers to use 'extreme caution' flying over Belarus

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Friday it was urging U.S. passenger airlines to exercise extreme caution while flying over Belarus.

The FAA notice did not recommend passenger carriers halt flights over Belarus. It comes after Belarusian authorities forced a Ryanair plane to land and arresting 26-year-old dissident journalist Roman Protasevich. The FAA said airlines should "exercise extreme caution until the agency can better assess Belarus’ actions surrounding the May 23 diversion of a passenger jet and the potential for Belarus to repeat similar actions in the future."