Third Malaysian carrier has met with tragic end this year giving nightmare to the people and the administration of this unfortunate island. We deeply regret the tragedy with which AirAsia Flight QZ8501 has met while on its flight from Surabaya airport in Indonesia to Singapore, a flight of little over three hours duration. Malaysian authorities have confirmed recovery of bodies and debris of the missing plane in the Java Sea off Indonesia, but mystery remained over the cause of the crash.
The tragedy has happened in almost similar mysterious circumstances in which Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 carrying 239 people, including five Indians that went missing on March 8 last. Though tragedies keep no calendar and the fury of nature is uncontrollable, but what lends great surprise and anguish to the situation is that it is the third air crash that has happened with the same airliner this year. It is difficult to blame this or that person. Was there a technical snag, was there so bad a weather that it caused the crash or is there the element of sabotage in this and in earlier cases, everything remains a mystery. Malaysian and Indonesian authorities have not hinted at any sabotage either in the previous crashes or in this crash.
However, from the conversation of the pilot of the ill fated airliner, it transpires that he had complained of bad weather and wanted to change the course of the flight taking a higher altitude in the hope that it would be free of clouds and thunder. Why did not the flight control source detect that the weather was too bad to allow the flight to take off. Secondly, what was the reaction of the control tower to the request of the pilot to change the flight course is not known.
Third air accident to the Malaysian airlines is a cause of great concern to the countries in the region. It is very difficult rather impossible to put one’s finger on the precise reason why this is recurrently happening. AirAsia Flight QZ8501 carrying 155 passengers — one British, one Malaysian, one Singaporean, three South Koreans, 149 Indonesians — and seven crew members — six Indonesians and a French co-pilot — lost contact with air traffic control at 0724 local time Indonesia (0454 IST).
Malaysia and Indonesia are our very close and respected friends and India is in pain on this tragedy that has befallen innocent families. Our country joins the mourning of innocent and precious lives. We extend our heart felt sympathy with the bereaved families wherever they are.
However, taking into account the things in their totality, we would like to suggest the Malaysian Air authorities to take a holistic view of the functioning of its airlines across the world. In particular, the security chapter of air traffic needs to be tightened. Passenger check has to be made stringent and no lapse has to be allowed. The Malaysian Air traffic authorities can also think of deploying Sky Marshals on sensitive flights to make doubly sure that there is no sabotage. Much modern and sophisticated gadgets of check and security need to be employed and at the same time the inquiry reports obtained after previous air accidents should be put to the public domain so that passengers are alerted about the safety on board or when approaching the airliner.
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