Israel Turns Back Cargo Plane Over Indonesian Crew Member
Translated & summarized from Cursorinfo by baba
Israel diverted a cargo plane from Ethiopia mid-flight after discovering an Indonesian national in the crew, violating regulations against citizens from countries without diplomatic ties. This action follows a period of lax security checks on foreign airline manifests, a gap exposed by a previous incident involving a co-pilot from Oman. Enhanced screening is now being implemented by Israeli authorities and airlines to prevent future security breaches.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel diverted a cargo plane from Ethiopia due to an Indonesian crew member violating entry regulations.
- The incident highlights a significant gap in Israel's aviation security vetting processes.
- Indonesia is among countries with which Israel does not have diplomatic relations.
- A previous incident involving a FlyDubai co-pilot from Oman exposed similar security vulnerabilities.
- Israeli airlines Arkia and Israir are now independently screening foreign crews.
- The enhanced security measures were implemented after a major aviation security failure.
Israel has turned back a cargo plane originating from Ethiopia after discovering an Indonesian national among its crew members. The aircraft was diverted mid-flight as part of intensified aviation security measures implemented following a significant security lapse. The incident highlights a broader issue where, for an extended period, data on foreign airline crews was not adequately vetted, creating a security gap.
Under existing agreements, foreign carriers must provide passenger and crew manifests to Israel in advance. A key regulation prohibits citizens of countries without diplomatic relations with Israel from being part of flight crews. Indonesia falls into this category, making the presence of its national on board grounds for denying entry.
Previously, while airlines submitted manifest data to the Tax Authority, the Ministry of Transport did not systematically verify this information. The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) was not responsible for vetting foreign crews, and the Mossad would only get involved for specific individuals upon request from the Ministry of Transport.
This security vulnerability came to light after a concerning incident on a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, where the co-pilot, an Omani citizen, reportedly attempted a suicide attack. Investigations revealed that during the recent war, aircraft carrying citizens from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel had repeatedly entered the country.
In response to these deficiencies, Israeli airlines Arkia and Israir have begun independently screening foreign crews, particularly crucial as they often operate leased aircraft with foreign personnel. The current diversion of the Ethiopian cargo plane is one of the first publicly acknowledged instances of the enhanced security protocols being actively enforced. The article notes that the Indonesian citizenship itself does not imply wrongdoing, but rather a violation of entry requirements.
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