طائرة تحلق فوق البحر بسبب «نوم» مراقب الحركة الجوية

In an incident described as "unusual," the French civil aviation authority announced that a air traffic controller dozed off during his shift at Orly Airport in Paris, which led to a Corsica Airlines plane flying in the air for more than 18 minutes before being allowed to land at Ajaccio Airport on the island of Corsica.

Details of the Incident

The incident occurred last Monday when the control tower failed to respond to the pilot's calls, later revealing that the responsible controller was asleep at his post. The pilot had to fly in a circular path over the Mediterranean Sea until the controller woke up after the intervention of the fire department inside the airport.

Passenger Safety

The aviation authority confirmed that the plane landed safely after communication was resumed, and the alcohol test that the controller underwent was negative. However, an official investigation has been opened to examine the circumstances of the incident, with the possibility of imposing penalties on the controller.

Reactions and Questions

The incident sparked widespread debate in French media and on social media platforms, especially as it concerns the safety of hundreds of passengers who rely on the vigilance of controllers to ensure the security of flights.