Ethiopian Airlines suspended its two pilots who had fallen asleep in flight and missed landing in
Addis Ababa
.
"The affected crew has been removed from operations pending further investigation," the Ethiopian flag carrier announced in a statement posted on its website.
"Based on the outcome of the investigation, appropriate corrective actions will be taken.
Safety has always been and will continue to be our first priority, "he added." We have received a report indicating that
Ethiopian flight number ET343 en route from Khartoum to Addis Ababa
has temporarily lost communication with Air Traffic Control. Addis Ababa on August 15, 2022. The flight then landed safely after the communication was restored, "writes the airline without confirming that the two fell asleep. As revealed by a specialized media, the potentially tragic lightness was resolved. with a "u" inversion lasting 25 minutes.
The air traffic controllers had tried to contact the pilots immediately after the 154-seat Boeing 737 had passed the point where it was supposed to begin its descent, but to no avail.
Only an alarm from the security system had woken them
.
Between the Sudanese capital Khartoum and that of neighboring Ethiopia there are only two hours of flight.
Alex Macheras, an aviation analyst, called the crash "deeply troubling": "Pilot fatigue is nothing new and continues to represent one of the most significant threats to aviation safety internationally," he tweeted. .