Israeli Transport Ministry Denies Responsibility for Foreign Pilot Background Checks
Translated & summarized from Hamal by baba
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Transport Ministry denies receiving foreign pilot names before alleged hijacking attempt.
- Aviation authority says security vetting of foreign pilots is not its responsibility.
- Airline should have prevented Omani pilot from boarding flight, officials state.
- Flydubai flights to Israel suspended pending investigation by UAE authorities.
- Passengers to be compensated for canceled Flydubai flights.
The Israeli Ministry of Transport's security division is disclaiming responsibility for vetting the security backgrounds of foreign pilots, following an incident where an Omani pilot nearly hijacked and crashed a plane carrying 174 Israeli passengers. Ministry officials stated they did not receive the names of Flydubai pilots in advance.
Tamir Uri, a senior official in the Ministry of Transport's Security and Cyber Department, explained that the security division conducts aviation security assessments with airlines and local entities, requesting declarations that all pilots have undergone background checks. He clarified that the ministry is not an intelligence agency and cannot vet every pilot from the 120 airlines flying to Israel. Uri admitted that Flydubai's pilot names were not provided to the ministry beforehand and that their procedures do not account for a pilot committing an attack. However, crew lists were sent to the National Center for Passenger Data Assessment (MALAN), which distributes information to relevant government bodies, including the Shin Bet, Mossad, and police.
Shmuel Zakai, head of the Civil Aviation Authority, asserted that his authority is responsible for safety, not security, which falls under other agencies. He also pointed out that the Omani pilot should not have been allowed to board the flight if he lacked a visa or entry permit for Israel, stating the airline was aware of this restriction. Uri acknowledged that 100% security is impossible without halting air traffic and noted that foreign airlines' security measures differ from those of Israeli carriers.
Regarding the resumption of flights, Zakai mentioned that Flydubai ceased flying to Israel after UAE authorities ordered the company to halt operations pending an investigation into potential additional pilots of concern. He added that the government cabinet decided, based on recommendations from the Minister of Transport and the Shin Bet, that the airline would not resume flights until the circumstances of the incident are clarified. Zakai also stated that under aviation law, Flydubai is obligated to compensate passengers for canceling flights less than 14 days before departure.
Read the original at HamalMentioned
