Police cleared jet attacker to travel

The plane landed safely at Nairobi airport

LONDON, England -- Police at a London airport spoke to the man who stormed a jet cockpit before he boarded the flight and decided he was fit to travel, it has emerged.

A British Airways spokeswoman said that Paul Kefa Mukonyi was in a confused state -- but police at Gatwick airport decided he could board the flight to Kenya.

"We escorted the man to the gate and the police were called at the man's own request because he was confused. But after talking to him the police decided he was confused, but fit to travel," she said.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS BA emergency hotline: UK: 0845 604 0172 International: 44 208 283 9677     ALSO Airborne alarms How secure are jet cockpits? Message Board: Air safety Chat: Cockpit safety

During London-Nairobi flight on Friday the 27-year-old burst into the cockpit and managed to disengage the Boeing 747's autopilot, sending it plunging 10,000ft in a series of nosedives before he was restrained.

Kenyan police are now waiting for medical reports on Mukonyi, who was restrained for the remainder of the flight and taken immediately to hospital upon arrival in Nairobi.

Psychiatrists treating him in Nairobi said they did not believe the attack was premeditated.

Mukonyi had been living in France and flew to England only to board a connection to his homeland.

Rock star Bryan Ferry, who was on board the flight, has called on BA to review its policy of keeping cockpit doors open in the wake of the drama, saying it was "mad" that people could access the flight control area.

Ferry told the UK's Mail on Sunday newspaper: "Another four seconds and we would have died, which is a very sobering thought.

"Luckily the captain was a well-set man, courageous and strong."

BA has said it will study its in-flight security. currently the cockpit door is usually locked only during take off and landing.

Captain Hagan: "I did what I had to do"

The jumbo jet's captain, William Hagan, arrived back at Gatwick airport on Saturday, and insisted he had just been doing his job.

He said: "I did what I had to do. I pulled a man from the controls and my co-pilot who was sitting there did what he had to do. He controlled and recovered the aircraft and he did it very well."

Four passengers and one stewardess, who broke an ankle, were injured as the plane lurched around the sky.

Jet attack crew return home
December 30, 2000
Panic as man storms cockpit of Nairobi-bound jet
December 29, 2000
Airlines vary in cockpit door safety policy
December 29, 2000

British Airways

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