A driver suspended after stealing his plane too low in Egypt

A flight almost turned into drama on February 2. During a commercial flight between Manchester and Hurghada, Egypt, the Easyjet Airbus A320 Airbus A320 has dangerously approached a mountain. On board: 190 passengers, who, for the most part, were on the holiday path.

Aged 61, Captain Paul Elsworth was flying less than 230 meters from a mountainous peak, less than 710 meters above sea level, According to the British press. A height well below the recommendations: an airplane must normally be at least 1830 meters above sea level when it flies over a mountain.

The risk that collision was such that the alarm of the proximity of the ground has triggered in the cockpit. This device makes it possible to prevent impacts by warning the captain when he is too close to the ground. Another data relating to this flight which did not respect the rules: the pilot started this descent at a pace of 1500 meters per minute, or 90 km/h, according to the information of The sun.

Thanks to his responsiveness, Captain Elsworth quickly straightened the plane. The passengers and the entire crew were able to arrive at your destination without incident. They were not really aware of the incident. But he did not escape the management of Easyjet, who decided to suspend the pilot.

For his return to Manchester, the pilot had to settle for a passenger seat. If Paul Elsworth was supposed to ensure the return flight to the United Kingdom, the incident reported the next day to his management quickly led to this safety measure: the airline prohibited the pilot from taking control of the plane, frightened by the gravity of the incident.

The British Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIB) as well as the Egyptian authorities have opened an investigation, after West France. It will determine the reasons for this proximity to the ground, and to understand that it was the pilot’s responsibility in this case.