Flydubai attempted hijacking showcased Israeli aviation security system procedures - explainer
In the case of the flydubai aircraft, the distress signal was activated while the plane was still well outside Israeli airspace. Nevertheless, such an alert automatically activates Israel's systems.
On Wednesday, a pilot aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel was stabbed, triggering a series of security protocols that showcased Israel's aviation safety measures. The incident prompted the activation of distress signals, which set off a chain of procedures designed to handle a suspicious aircraft approaching Israeli airspace.
Every pilot crossing Israeli borders must pass through two designated points, which serve as checkpoints for clearance and monitoring. At these points, the pilot must verify their aircraft with Israeli air traffic control using a pre-agreed code. This allows authorities to confirm the plane's validity and permits.
The first checkpoint is situated far enough from Israel to allow fighter jets to scramble if the pilot fails to identify the aircraft or encounters an unusual incident. In such cases, fighter pilots may establish visual contact with the plane to assess the situation. Pilots also use agreed-upon visual signals to communicate with fighter jets about any unusual activity aboard the aircraft.
The Israeli security system is designed to allow flexibility in decision-making, ranging from monitoring and identification to interception, and even, in extreme cases, shooting down the aircraft. In the case of the Flydubai flight, the distress signal was triggered while the plane was still outside Israeli airspace. However, the alert automatically initiated Israel's aviation and security systems, enabling authorities to prepare an appropriate response.
Should a civilian aircraft reach the first checkpoint, continue towards Israeli airspace, and fail to respond to fighter pilot signals, the prime minister, defense minister, IDF chief of staff, and air force commander are brought together on a conference call. The prime minister holds the sole authority to decide whether the aircraft should be shot down.
The decision is made briefly during the call, with available information presented concisely. The prime minister, defense minister, chief of staff, and air force commander have no intermediaries in the decision-making process.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
