AIR
SEYCHELLES SPEEDILY RESUMES REGIONAL FLIGHTS AFTER MID-FLIGHT
KNIFE INCIDENT
Monday
9th September 2002
17:00 Seychelles time
Release No. 2
Air
Seychelles pressed on with its regional flight schedule
today barely hours after an early morning incident in which
a man brandished a knife at a crew member on a Mumbai-Maldives
flight.
The
man was handed over to airport authorities in Maldives after
the incident which took place 25 minutes before landing,
and seven hours later flight HM017 took off for Seychelles
after a thorough strip-down and full security checks.
Meanwhile
the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authorities have engaged its
counterparts in India and Maldives to carry out investigations
in the incident.
In
the early morning incident, a man, who is holding an Indian
passport, took out a six to eight-inch folding knife at an
Air Seychelles cabin crew 25 minutes before the flight was
due to land in Maldives, but was quickly overpowered, tied
to his seat and handed to the Maldives airport security on
arrival.
Air
Seychelles, the national airline of Seychelles, one of the
foremost holiday islands of the Indian Ocean, has one of
the best international safety and security standards.
In
the wake of last year’s September 11 incidents, it carried
out extensive extra security training among its staff to
tighten up further security procedures.
The
airline’s Executive Chairman, Capt. David Savy, says: “The
crew did exactly what they’ve been trained do to. What
I cannot understand is how the man got through the security
net in Mumbai".
He
added: “This incident never got to become a hijack.
It happened in the cabin of the aircraft well away from the
cockpit and the man was then dealt with promptly and effectively”.
The
737 Boeing aircraft was kept on the ground for seven hours
in Maldives for a thorough strip-down and took off just before
noon Seychelles time (0900 GMT) for the three-hour journey
to its final destination in Seychelles.
The
Director of Civil Aviation in Seychelles, Mr Gilbert Faure
said: “The incident was extremely well handled by
the airline and our collaboration has ensured that all passengers
on the flight were well looked after upon arrival. In fact,
all but one of the passengers did not know about the incident
until after they landed in Maldives”.
Right
after landing in Seychelles the passengers received a welcome
note of comfort from the airline’s Executive Chairman,
and the crew, many of whom were met by close family members,
posed for a press photo in front of the aircraft, calling
out : “We did it in the Creole spirit, and we’re
ready to fly again”.
Flight
HM017 unloaded its passengers in Seychelles and picked up
a fresh load of South African holidaymakers for Johannesburg
one hour later.
Passenger
with a knife quickly disarmed
on Air Seychelles flight.
Monday
9th September 2002
12 Noon Seychelles time
Release No. 1
Victoria — A
man who brandished a knife on an Air Seychelles flight (Flight
number HM 017) from Mumbai to the Maldives early this morning
was quickly disarmed by the cabin crew and handed over to
the Maldives police on arrival.
The
Air Seychelles Boeing 737 took off to its final destination
in Mahe, Seychelles, seven hours later.
Capt.
David Savy, the Executive Chairman of the national airline,
Air Seychelles, said: “The man never got close
to the cockpit. The crew was able to disarm him immediately
in the cabin and he was tied into a seat. At no time was
the life of passengers on board the aircraft threatened”.
The
scheduled weekly Air Seychelles flight took off from Mumbai
at 3.10 a.m. Indian time on Monday morning and the incident
occurred 20 minutes before landing in Maldives.
The man in custody was travelling on an Indian passport.
Capt.
David Savy, the Executive Chairman of the national airline,
Air Seychelles, said: “The rigorous training our
crew have undergone especially since the terrorist attacks
has undoubtedly helped us thwart what could have been a serious
incident. Air Seychelles crew have been especially trained
to deal with such situations. We are proud of their action.”
