Pilot Attack on Flight Raises Questions Over Cockpit Security
The apparent attack by a co-pilot on a flydubai flight bound for Israel has renewed attention on cockpit security and the measures airlines use to prevent deliberate attempts to endanger a flight.
According to Israeli officials, the co-pilot of a Boeing 737 flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv attacked the captain while the aircraft was over northwestern Saudi Arabia and allegedly attempted to crash the plane.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pilot attacked his colleague and apparently tried to bring down the aircraft with everyone on board.
The weapon allegedly used in the attack has not been identified. Some reports have suggested that a cockpit crash axe may have been involved.
The captain and passengers reportedly managed to subdue the attacker, allowing the aircraft to make an emergency landing at Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk airport. The captain, Indian national Smit Machchhar, was taken to hospital and later reported to be out of danger.
The incident has raised questions about how aviation authorities protect aircraft from threats originating inside the cockpit.
How is cockpit security maintained?
Pilots are subject to aviation security screening, either through the same checkpoints as passengers or through dedicated crew screening areas, depending on the airport. Carry-on items are also screened and pilots pass through security checks.
Cockpit security was significantly strengthened following the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. Reinforced cockpit doors can be locked by pilots to prevent unauthorised access.
However, the flydubai incident is different because the reported threat came from within the cockpit.
How are pilots assessed?
Preventing deliberate acts by pilots remains a complex challenge because warning signs may not always be apparent.
The 2015 Germanwings crash in the French Alps highlighted the issue. Investigators found that the pilot deliberately crashed the aircraft, killing all 150 people on board. The case prompted greater attention worldwide to monitoring the mental health of flight crews.
Airlines face challenges in balancing safety monitoring with medical confidentiality, while details of individual pilot assessments are generally not publicly disclosed.
In the flydubai case, several questions remain unanswered, including the circumstances surrounding the attack and the motive of the co-pilot.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu separately told Fox News that the pilot, reportedly an Omani national, had undergone what he described as “Islamist radical indoctrination,” without providing further details.
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