Regulations and Government
VistaJet Flight Brings Home Americans in Prisoner Swap
Detained journalists were accused of spying
US prisoner swap
© US Government

Business aviation played a prominent role in getting journalists Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva, as well as fellow American Paul Whelan, back on American soil shortly before midnight last night as part of an arranged prisoner exchange with Russia. The flight—conducted by a VistaJet-operated Bombardier Global 7500, registered as N7584G—departed Ankara Esenboğa International Airport  (LTAC) in Turkey for Andrews Air Force Base. Travel time for the flight was about 12 hours.

“After enduring unimaginable suffering and uncertainty, the Americans detained in Russia are safe, free, and have begun their journeys back into the arms of their families,” wrote President Joe Biden in a post on X (formerly Twitter).