(a) the number of cases of hijacking of passenger aircraft reported during the current year in the country;
(b) the findings of enquiry committees set up to look into the causes of each such hijackings;
(c) whether some employees of the Alliance Airlines were found involved in the same;
(d) if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon; and
(e) the measures taken by the Government to issue necessary directives to the pilot and the crew members in such exigencies?
THE MINISTER OF CIVIL AVIATION ( SHRI SYED SHAHNAWAZ HUSSAIN )
(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.117 FOR ANSWER ON 26.11.2001
(a) to (e): There has been no case of hijacking of passenger aircraft during the current year, though there was a false alarm of hijacking of Alliance Air flight CD-7444 operating on Mumbai-Delhi sector on 3.10.2001.
A high level Committee was constituted under the Chairmanship of Special Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs to examine in totality the situation arising out of the chain of events triggered by an anonymous telephone call regarding the imminent hijacking of flight No.CD-7444 operating on Mumbai-Delhi sector on 3.10.2001. The Committee has inter alia recommended:-
(i) Revision of Contingency Plan, relevant manuals and guidelines to eliminate mismatch between flight crew and ground personnel;
(ii) Development of standardized phrases and words to avoid ambiguity;
(iii) To develop proper system of training and briefing of flight crew and cabin crew;
(iv) Fitment of close circuit TV cameras at appropriate points in the cockpit/passenger cabin;
(v) To provide Caller-identification as well as recording systems.
The Committee also recommended that the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and Director General of Civil Aviation introduce new security and safety measures being considered by ICAO and aircraft manufacturers.
Alliance Air has been given instructions to take necessary action. Simultaneously a copy of the report along with recommendations has been sent to Directer General of Civil Aviation, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, Indian Airlines and Alliance Air to initiate action on all points, concerning their organisations, raised in the report and for implementing the recommendations made by the Committee.