Breaking· Security· Updated 20:23

Israel Turns Back Cargo Plane Over Indonesian Crew Member

An Ethiopian Airlines cargo plane flying from Addis Ababa was denied entry into Israeli airspace and forced to return to its origin on Tuesday, after Israeli security systems identified an Indonesian crew member on board. Indonesia does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel, and its citizens require special entry permits. The flight manifest was submitted late, after the aircraft had already departed, but the security system flagged the crew member's nationality and prompted authorities to refuse entry.

7 newsrooms · 2 languages · since 19:23

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Israel Turns Back Cargo Plane Over Indonesian Crew Member — Illustration by baba

What happened

01An Ethiopian Airlines cargo plane was denied entry to Israel and forced to return to Addis Ababa due to an Indonesian crew member on board.
02Israel does not maintain diplomatic relations with Indonesia, and its citizens require special permits to enter the country.
03The flight manifest was received after takeoff, but Israeli security systems successfully flagged the crew member's nationality.
04The incident follows a Ministry of Transport directive on October 1 banning crew members from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel.
05The directive was issued after a Flydubai co-pilot from Oman attempted to hijack and crash a flight to Israel on September 30.
06The UAE Attorney General confirmed the Flydubai co-pilot, who was thwarted by passengers, planned a suicide attack at Ben Gurion Airport.
07Israeli airlines have hired cybersecurity firms to independently scan the social media activities of 2,500 foreign flight crew members.
08A planned meeting between Israeli and UAE transport officials was canceled, halting all flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai.

This incident follows a strict emergency directive issued by Israel's Ministry of Transport on October 1, which prohibits foreign airlines from assigning crew members from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel on flights to the country. The new regulations were enacted after a serious security incident on September 30, in which an Omani co-pilot on a Flydubai flight to Israel allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to crash the plane. The attack was thwarted by passengers and an alternate crew, leading to an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The UAE Attorney General later confirmed the co-pilot had planned a suicide attack at Ben Gurion Airport.

In response to these security vulnerabilities, Israeli airlines have proactively hired local cybersecurity firms to conduct independent background checks on foreign flight crews operating chartered flights, scanning the social media activities of approximately 2,500 foreign pilots and flight attendants. Additionally, a planned professional meeting between Israeli and UAE transportation officials regarding the Flydubai incident was canceled, effectively halting flights between the two countries.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 7 newsrooms. Updated 20:32