Ethiopian Airlines Tel Aviv flight turned back over Indonesian pilot, Israeli media report
Israeli media reported that an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa to Israel was turned back because a pilot was Indonesian, then flew on with a replacement. Accounts differ on the source report and some details.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Centre · 1Israel ordered an Ethiopian Airlines flight bound for Tel Aviv to turn back from Addis Ababa because one of its pilots was Indonesian, according to a Channel 12 report on Monday carried by Anadolu Agency. Anadolu AgencyN “Israel ordered an Ethiopian Airlines flight bound for Tel Aviv to turn back because one of its pilots was Indonesian, Israel’s Channel 12 reported Monday.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 1Channel 12 said the aircraft was about an hour into the flight and still in Ethiopian airspace when the order came, after the pilot's nationality was flagged to Israeli intelligence and airport authorities and security officials and the Transportation Ministry barred it from landing. Anadolu AgencyN “The aircraft was about an hour into its flight from Addis Ababa and still in Ethiopian airspace when the order was issued, according to the broadcaster.”“prompting security officials and the Transportation Ministry to bar the flight from landing” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 1The plane returned to Addis Ababa, where the pilot was replaced, and then flew again and landed in Tel Aviv, according to Channel 12. Anadolu AgencyN “The plane returned to Addis Ababa, where the pilot was replaced, before departing again and landing in Tel Aviv.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Right · 1JNS, citing a Ynet report published Tuesday, described the aircraft as a cargo plane that left Addis Ababa early Monday, turned back and dumped fuel into the sea; it said the pilot was replaced by one authorized to enter Israel. JNSR “An Ethiopian Airlines cargo plane was denied entry to Israeli airspace after authorities discovered that a pilot aboard was an Indonesian citizen, Ynet reported on Tuesday.”“The aircraft, which departed Addis Ababa early Monday, turned back and dumped fuel into the sea, according to the report.” Read at JNS ↗ Right · 1Per Ynet, Israeli authorities received the crew list only after takeoff, despite instructions requiring foreign airlines to submit it beforehand. Israel has no diplomatic relations with Indonesia. JNSR “Israeli authorities received the crew list only after takeoff, despite instructions requiring foreign airlines to submit it beforehand.”“Israel has no diplomatic relations with Indonesia.” Read at JNS ↗ Centre · 1Channel 12 said Ethiopian Airlines called the incident a mistake and said it had not known the pilot was barred from flights to Israel. It also said Israel had told foreign airlines not to assign crew from certain countries without diplomatic ties, naming Afghanistan, Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Niger, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Venezuela. There was no immediate comment from Ethiopian or Indonesian authorities. Anadolu AgencyN “Ethiopian Airlines described the incident as a mistake, saying it had been unaware that the pilot was barred from operating flights to Israel, according to the report.”“The restrictions cover nationals of Afghanistan, Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Niger, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Venezuela.”“There was no immediate comment from Ethiopian or Indonesian authorities.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Mixed · 2Both outlets place the incident after the 30 September attempted hijacking of a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. UAE prosecutors said an Omani co-pilot tried to crash it into Ben Gurion Airport; passengers and crew thwarted the attempt and the plane landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Anadolu AgencyN “United Arab Emirates prosecutors said an Omani co-pilot had attempted to seize control of the aircraft and crash it into Ben Gurion Airport.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ JNSR “The incident follows an attempted hijacking of a flydubai flight by an Omani pilot that prompted scrutiny of Israel’s procedures for screening foreign aircrews.” Read at JNS ↗ Right · 1JNS added that Emirati Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said the suspect, Hamam al-Hammami, had used two earlier flights to Tel Aviv to learn the route and airport. He was detained in the UAE and said he acted alone, though investigators were still checking that. JNSR “The suspect, Hamam al-Hammami, had used two previous flights to Tel Aviv to familiarize himself with the route and airport, according to the findings.”“He said he acted alone, but investigators were continuing to verify that claim.” Read at JNS ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Short report relaying Channel 12: Israel ordered the flight back over the pilot's nationality, with Ethiopian Airlines calling it a mistake.
- Emphasis
- The list of nationalities barred from crewing Israel-bound flights, and Ethiopian Airlines' reported explanation.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the crew list arriving after takeoff or the fuel dumping.
- For example
-
“Ethiopian Airlines described the incident as a mistake, saying it had been unaware that the pilot was barred from operating flights to Israel, according to the report.” — Anadolu Agency
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Presents the event as a failure of airline compliance with Israeli screening rules, tied to the flydubai hijacking attempt and scrutiny of Israel's procedures.
- Emphasis
- Late submission of the crew list, the flydubai investigation details, and Indonesia's unofficial ties with Israel.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Ethiopian Airlines' reported 'mistake' explanation or the full list of barred nationalities.
- Charged language
- “denied entry”“Hamas-led invasion”
- For example
-
“Israeli authorities received the crew list only after takeoff, despite instructions requiring foreign airlines to submit it beforehand.” — JNS
What every side reports
- An Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa toward Israel turned back because a pilot was Indonesian.
- The pilot was replaced in Ethiopia.
- The incident follows the 30 September flydubai attempted hijacking by an Omani co-pilot.
Where accounts differ
-
Type of aircraft and source
- Centre
- Anadolu, citing Channel 12, refers to a flight and says it later landed in Tel Aviv.
- Right
- JNS, citing Ynet, calls it a cargo plane that dumped fuel into the sea and says crew details reached Israel only after takeoff.
Ethiopian Airlines organisation
Reportedly called the incident a mistake and said it did not know the pilot was barred from Israel flights; no direct comment was cited.
“Ethiopian Airlines described the incident as a mistake, saying it had been unaware that the pilot was barred from operating flights to Israel, according to the report.” — Anadolu Agency
Israel place
Israeli authorities reportedly barred the flight over the pilot's nationality under rules restricting crews from countries without diplomatic ties.
“Israeli authorities had instructed foreign airlines not to assign crew members from certain countries without diplomatic relations with Israel to flights bound for the country.” — Anadolu Agency
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
-
Israel orders Ethiopian flight to turn back over Indonesian pilot: Report
Neutral Attributes the account to Channel 12 and notes the absence of comment from Ethiopian or Indonesian authorities.
Right1 article
-
JNSR ·
Ethiopian Airlines cargo plane denied entry to Israel over pilot’s nationality
Neutral Reports Ynet's account with emphasis on procedural lapses and the flydubai security context.
- 13 Oct 02:31 First Anadolu AgencyN Israel orders Ethiopian flight to turn back over Indonesian pilot: Report
- 13 Oct 08:51 +6h 20m JNSR Ethiopian Airlines cargo plane denied entry to Israel over pilot’s nationality
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…