An unusual security failure was revealed at Ben Gurion Airport after an 18-year-old passenger managed to board an international flight without a boarding pass and flew to Vienna, where authorities only discovered the problem upon his arrival. The young man was subsequently returned to Israel.
According to the report, the passenger succeeded in boarding the aircraft despite not having a valid boarding pass. Austrian officials uncovered the irregularity only after the plane landed in Vienna, when it became clear that he was not listed as a ticketed passenger.
The incident comes just two months after another serious breach at Ben Gurion Airport, in which a 13-year-old boy managed to board an El Al flight to the United States without a ticket or passport. In that case, the cabin crew identified the boy moments before takeoff, preventing what officials later described as a potentially dangerous situation.
In light of the recent series of incidents, Transportation Minister Miri Regev instructed the director general of the Ministry of Transportation to convene an urgent discussion with all relevant authorities, including the head of the Population and Immigration Authority and other aviation and security officials.
The Israel Airports Authority said in a statement that after receiving information from the airline about the exceptional incident involving an Israeli passenger who boarded a flight without a boarding pass, an internal review was conducted. The authority confirmed that the passenger underwent security screening but did not complete the border control process. An immediate examination was carried out with the responsible bodies, including the Population and Immigration Authority and the airline. The Airports Authority added that the airline and the Population Authority will conduct a full investigation and debrief in order to strengthen oversight and control mechanisms throughout the process.
Austrian Airlines said in Vienna that an internal investigation into the incident is underway and that, at this stage, no further details can be provided. The airline also noted that the aircraft underwent a comprehensive safety inspection after the flight.
The earlier incident involving the 13-year-old boy raised significant concern among authorities. Initial questioning at the time indicated that the boy entered the airport’s secured area by accompanying another passenger, bypassing security screening, passport control, and boarding supervision. He was immediately transferred for further questioning by security forces and police, while El Al and the Israel Airports Authority launched an urgent investigation into the circumstances of the breach.
{Matzav.com}
