Ethiopian Airlines Flight Diverted Due to Indonesian Pilot
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
An Ethiopian Airlines flight bound for Tel Aviv was diverted back to Addis Ababa after an Indonesian pilot was identified among the crew, prompting Israeli authorities to demand his replacement. The decision was made in light of a recent attempted attack on a Flydubai flight and follows new directives barring crew from certain countries without diplomatic ties with Israel. The flight eventually continued to Tel Aviv after the pilot was swapped. The incident raises questions about pre-flight crew vetting procedures.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- An Ethiopian Airlines flight to Tel Aviv was diverted due to an Indonesian pilot on board.
- Israeli authorities demanded the pilot be replaced, citing lack of diplomatic relations with Indonesia.
- The flight returned to Addis Ababa and resumed its journey after a crew change.
- The incident follows a recent attempted attack on a Flydubai flight by its pilot.
- New directives prohibit crew from certain countries without diplomatic ties from flying to Israel.
- A proposal for expedited visa approvals for foreign pilots was deemed unfeasible.
An Ethiopian Airlines flight en route to Tel Aviv from Addis Ababa was forced to turn back shortly after takeoff on Sunday night due to the presence of an Indonesian pilot among the crew. The flight, which had been airborne for an hour, returned to Addis Ababa after Israeli authorities identified the pilot as a citizen of Indonesia, a Muslim country with no diplomatic relations with Israel. This decision was made as a precautionary measure, learning from a near-disaster on a Flydubai flight two weeks prior, where a pilot reportedly intended to crash the plane in Israel. Israeli security and transportation officials instructed the airline not to land in Israel and demanded the pilot be replaced. Following the crew change in Ethiopia, the flight resumed its journey and eventually landed in Israel. Ethiopian Airlines claimed it was an oversight and they were unaware the pilot was prohibited from flying to Israel. This incident highlights ongoing concerns about how the identities of flight crews are vetted before arriving in Israel. A directive has been issued to foreign airlines stating that crew members with citizenship from specific countries that do not have official diplomatic relations with Israel are not permitted to operate flights to or be on board flights destined for Israel. These countries include Afghanistan, Algeria, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Niger, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Qatar, and Somalia. The Minister of Transportation, Miri Regev, received the findings of an inquiry into the Flydubai incident, which occurred on September 30. A proposal to expedite visa approvals for foreign pilots within 48 hours was deemed unfeasible, as current data sharing with airlines occurs only after aircraft doors are closed, making pre-flight screening difficult.
Mentioned
