El Al Reveals Initial Alert Transcripts Following Flydubai Hijacking Scare
El Al released transcripts of a security alert following an averted hijacking threat on a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv. Officials highlighted enhanced Israeli aviation security measures.
A month after a narrowly averted aviation disaster involving a Flydubai flight en route to Tel Aviv, El Al has released the initial transcripts of the security alert that gripped Israeli skies. On Tuesday, El Al's chief pilot, Captain Yonatan Gat, detailed the frantic moments when control centers ordered all airborne Israeli aircraft to secure their cockpit doors amid fears of a hijacking.
"Operations Center: El Al Security. Please transmit a message to all aircraft in the air: secure all doors, lock doors, no opening of the cockpit door. Flight Crew: Okay. Is there anything else we need to know? Operations Center: We currently have an incident with a foreign aircraft en route to Tel Aviv from Dubai reporting a hijacking. We are still verifying details. Flight Crew: Foreign aircraft, received. Operations Center: Secure doors on all aircraft in the air," the transcript revealed.
Speaking on security protocols, Gat emphasized that Israeli carriers operate under constant threat, necessitating rigorous defensive measures. He noted that El Al employs specialized cockpit door reinforcements and unique operational protocols that surpass standard international practices, ensuring heightened protection for passengers and crew.
Reflecting on the harrowing experience of Flydubai Captain Smith Matchar, who fought off an assault during the flight, Gat praised the pilot's resilience. "When someone puts an axe to your head and wants to kill you, and you still try with your last remaining strength to survive... I truly admire him. He set the distress code and unlocked the door, otherwise no one could have entered the cockpit," Gat stated, highlighting Matchar's crucial actions in saving the flight.
