Air France has launched an internal investigation following a critical incident involving one of its flights that traversed Iraqi airspace during an Iranian missile attack on Israel.
The incident occurred on October 1, when Air France flight AF662 was en route from Paris to Dubai and crossed over Iraq just as Iran unleashed a barrage of missiles targeting Israeli territory.
The Iranian missile assault, which reportedly involved around 200 missiles, was launched in retaliation for the recent killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by an Israeli missile strike in Beirut.
As tensions in the Middle East escalated, the missiles were required to pass through Iraqi airspace to reach their targets in Israel.
Iranian officials claimed that 90 percent of the missiles successfully hit their intended locations, while the Israeli military reported that many of the incoming projectiles were intercepted.
According to Air France, flight AF662 entered Iraqi airspace at approximately 1645 GMT, coinciding with the onset of the missile attack. The airline stated that it promptly suspended flights over Iraq after receiving intelligence about the impending threat.
“On October 1, information identified an upcoming ballistic missile attack on Israel by Iran. Consequently, and without waiting for instructions from the Iraqi authorities, Air France decided to suspend flights over the country’s airspace by its aircraft as of 1700 GMT,” the airline noted in a statement.
The airline clarified that the pilots of flight AF662 observed the missiles in the night sky from the cockpit, as reported by LCI television.
It was also revealed that Iraqi air traffic control had wished the flight crew “good luck” as they navigated through the area. This unsettling experience raised concerns about the safety protocols in place during such heightened tensions.
Air France emphasized that its flights had already been avoiding Israeli, Lebanese, and Iranian airspace due to ongoing geopolitical unrest.
The airline had limited overflights of Iraqi airspace to a specific corridor utilized by various airlines, highlighting the risks involved in air travel during periods of conflict.
In light of the situation, Air France has initiated an internal investigation to ascertain how flight AF662 ended up in Iraqi airspace amidst active hostilities.
Laurent Veque, a board member of the National Union of Airline Pilots, corroborated the incident and stressed the necessity of clarifying the circumstances surrounding the flight’s trajectory.
“Light must be shed on what happened,” he told LCI, emphasizing the importance of safety for both crew and passengers.
As of now, Iraqi airspace was not officially closed by local authorities until 1756 GMT, approximately an hour after the Iranian missile attack began.
This delayed response has raised questions about air traffic safety protocols and coordination in the region during such critical moments.
The events surrounding flight AF662 underscore the complexities and dangers of commercial aviation in a landscape fraught with military conflicts.
As international tensions continue to rise, airlines are under increasing pressure to ensure the safety of their operations while navigating unpredictable airspace.
Air France has not yet commented on whether the pilots’ reports regarding the sighting of the missiles will impact their investigation.
As the airline works to address this incident, it highlights the pressing need for enhanced safety measures and communication among aviation authorities during times of crisis.
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