Swiss authorities is holding the co-pilot of an Ethiopian Airlines flight that was hijacked and forced to land at Geneva’s international airport early on Monday morning.

Swiss police said the co-pilot hijacked his plane after the pilot went to the toilet, then landed and alighted through the Cockpits’ window using a rope.

The co-pilot has asked to be granted asylum.

The Rome bound Ethiopian Airlines flight 702 was forced to land at Geneva’s International Airport after it signalled hijacking.

Airport police said the situation was “under control” and that the 200 passengers and crew are safe.

An Ethiopian government spokesman, Redwan Hussein, had earlier told Reuters that the flight had made a scheduled stop in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, where the hijacker or hijackers might have boarded the flight.

“We don’t know where they are from or how many they are but it looks like the hijacker or hijackers boarded the flight in Khartoum,” Mr. Redwan said shortly before police announced they had detained the co-pilot.