VistaJet Brings Home Americans in Prisoner Swap

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 August 1 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).

Gershkovich is a reporter for the Wall Street Journal. He was detained in March last year and was accused of spying along with Whelan. Kurmasheva was a reporter for Radio Free Europe and was also accused of spying.

The prisoner exchange is the largest in post-Soviet history. They were part of a deal that included 21 other people being freed in exchange for Russian prisoners in other allied countries.

VistaJet did not respond to BJT's inquiries about the flight.