Belgian police probe airplane maintenance errors

Belgian police probe airplane maintenance errors

www.iht.com

BRUSSELS: Belgian police opened an investigation Tuesday into serious airplane maintenance errors that a government minister says could amount to attempted sabotage.

Transport Secretary Etienne Schouppe said the defects at Brussels-based Sabena Technics "could not just be the result of neglect but could have had serious consequences."

Sabena Technics Managing Director Willy Buysse told VTM network the defects were in "non-critical systems" like intercoms. The defects were discovered and corrected after an in-house security check and before the planes were returned to the airline companies.

The company is planning to lay off 350 of its 1,100 employees at the Brussels terminal and there are fears a disgruntled worker might be responsible for the action. The work force went on strike early Tuesday to protest the planned layoffs.

Sabena Technics is an affiliate of the TAT Group and specializes in the maintenance of civil and military planes.

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Is this the face of things to come? I'm a Belgian and take this as a very serious threat to my safety. And i can't help to wonder if this really is sabotage, just a error or terrorism related.

I just can't imagine a technician to damage a plane on purpose since it seems clear anyone who does that kinda job knows their work is double if not triple checked.

What do u guys think about it?

www.iht.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by Spartannic


It is more than likely an upset employee who is getting laid off. I know it makes no sense but people do some strange things in time of financial stress.

This is why I believe that in jobs that can have this type of effect, employees should be laid off and shown the door at the same time.

Better to pay severance for no work than to have this happen.

reply to post by tribewilder
As it seems to me this could affect alot more then people like to admit. Even if this whole thing is put in motion by a laid of employee in a country like my own where the average guy is protected by a massive gov. funded social security that gives people who don't work receive almost 1250 euro in the first 6 months after being laid of .....

I understand people do some mad stuff when they feel threatned but this seem to go over my head. I could only imagine what could happen if terrorist could contact some of those unhappy workforces employed at keypoints in my country. Alot of the military aircraft gets repaired at the same location mentioned.

Lets hope its nothing and i'm wrong