A mechanic of American Airlines was arrested on Thursday (September 5th). He was accused of sabotaging the guidance system of one of the company’s aircraft at Miami International Airport in the US. The information is from the Miami Herald newspaper.
According to the report, mechanic Abdul-Majeed Marouf Ahmed Alani placed a kind of foam in a pitot tube of the plane. This device provides altitude and speed information, and, if clogged, could cause pilots disorientation and lead to an accident.
However, an alarm over the obstruction sounded as the pilots started the engines of the plane, which would travel to Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, with 150 people. They then aborted the takeoff, and the aircraft was serviced.
The report did not say which aircraft model was affected by the mechanic. The route between Miami and Nassau is usually made with Boeing 737-800 or Airbus A321, according to the website “FlightRadar24”.
The case occurred on July 17, but the arrest occurred only on Thursday. Preliminary investigations indicate that the arrested mechanic was trying to protest against stalled collective wage negotiations.
The accused alleges that he sabotaged the pitot tube to cause flight delays.“His intention was not to harm the plane or the passengers,” he told FBI agents.
According to the Herald, investigators arrived at Alani after other American Airlines mechanics identified him through the airport’s video system. The company has not issued a note on the matter.
Source: g1globo
