Israel orders Ethiopian flight to return over Indonesian pilot
Cargo plane was mid-flight when authorities barred landing, citing security rules on crew from nations without diplomatic ties.
Israeli authorities ordered an Ethiopian Airlines cargo flight bound for Tel Aviv to return to Addis Ababa because one of its pilots held Indonesian citizenship. The aircraft was approximately an hour into its journey and still within Ethiopian airspace when the directive was issued on Monday.
Reports indicate that intelligence officials and the Transportation Ministry flagged the pilot’s nationality, prompting a ban on the flight’s landing. Security protocols prohibit crew members from specific countries lacking diplomatic relations with Israel from operating flights into the nation.
The plane landed back in Ethiopia, where the Indonesian pilot was replaced by a crew member from a permitted country. After this change, the cargo flight departed again and successfully completed its route, landing safely at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
Ethiopian Airlines described the event as a mistake, stating it had been unaware that the specific pilot was barred from operating flights to Israel. TAL Aviation, which represents the airline in Israel, said the incident would not affect regular passenger services between the two cities.
Israeli media reported that authorities had instructed foreign airlines to avoid assigning crew from certain nations to flights bound for the country. The restrictions cover nationals from Afghanistan, Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Niger, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and Venezuela.
This development follows an attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight on September 30. An Omani co-pilot allegedly tried to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport before being subdued by passengers and crew, leading to a safe landing in Saudi Arabia.
United Arab Emirates prosecutors stated the Omani pilot had planned a suicide attack. Israeli authorities subsequently published a list of affected countries and emphasized that the restrictions also apply to dual nationals holding passports from these designated states.
The Transport Ministry has faced accusations of neglecting its responsibility to conduct proper security checks on incoming flights. Public concern over crew nationalities has risen, with polls indicating many Israelis now prefer flying with domestic carriers or avoiding Arab and Muslim airlines.