New Delhi, Oct. 2 -- India is considering a review of aviation security measures following the mid-air attack on Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar aboard a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation is examining whether an additional security advisory should be issued to Indian airlines in the wake of the incident. Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha said the matter would be discussed internally by the authorities. The incident took place on Flydubai flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The aircraft, carrying 174 passengers, suffered a steep descent over northern Saudi Arabia after Machchhar was allegedly attacked by his co-pilot inside the cockpit. The plane was eventually diverted and made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Machchhar sustained serious injuries but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and other people on board to intervene. The attacker was restrained and the aircraft was brought under control before landing safely.
Following the incident, Indian aviation authorities began examining whether existing security procedures require any additional measures. The review is expected to focus on the safety of flight crew and the possibility of threats originating from within the cockpit. Sinha said the government was looking into the security implications of the incident but indicated that the matter also involved another country and therefore officials would be cautious about commenting on the ongoing investigation. The incident has prompted wider questions about aviation security and the screening of pilots. Israel has separately announced tighter checks on pilots flying into the country following the Flydubai incident. The investigation into the Flydubai incident is continuing, with authorities examining the circumstances of the cockpit attack and the motive of the co-pilot. The UAE has also launched a probe into a possible terrorist connection.
Machchhar, who was initially treated in Saudi Arabia, has since been moved to Abu Dhabi for further medical care. The Indian Embassy in the UAE said he was in good health and recovering well. The Indian government's proposed review comes as aviation authorities internationally reassess security procedures following an incident in which the alleged threat came from a member of the flight crew rather than a passenger attempting to enter the cockpit.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.