On 31st October 2024, the final report of the investigation into the tragic crash of EgyptAir flight 804 was published. In May 2016, the flight was travelling from Paris, France to Cairo, Egypt. The plane crashed suddenly, tragically resulting in the deaths of all 66 passengers and crew on board. Over the past few years, several international agencies have investigated possible causes of the disaster. Even at the beginning of the investigation, suspicions were raised about whether explosive materials had been on board. The recent final report confirmed the presence of explosives. The incident has long been a cause of concern for the safety of passengers and personnel in the aviation sector. The new results only confirmed the need to enhance security protocols.
Summary of the Final Report
The final report of the plane crash confirmed the presence of residuary explosives on parts of the wreckage. This became the concluding and essential proof that an explosion caused the plane’s tragic crash. The Egyptian and French investigation units have previously considered other possible reasons for the crash. Among them was the assumption of a fire on board. This hypothesis was mainly supported by the French aviation authority (BEA). However, the Egyptian investigation team was more inclined towards the explosion explanation. The traces of explosives found confirmed Egypt’s findings and substantiated the supposition of sabotage on board. Currently, aviation authorities are considering possible ways to enhance security measures during inspections. These measures should help to detect explosives before boarding the plane. This way the aviation sector can avoid potential crash risks of other aircraft.
Airline Safety and Security Guarantees
After the completion of the EgyptAir disaster investigation, global flight safety is questionable. The found explosive materials confirm the requirement for strict pre-flight inspection measures. Countries with significant influence in the aviation sector have already tightened their security protocols in response to demands after such incidents. For example, in the US airports have introduced advanced screening technologies and personnel have been retrained. Thus, the airports remain efficient at identifying potential threats. To prevent such tragic situations from occurring again, aviation authorities continue their attempts to find a balance between safety and satisfactory passenger experience.
International Response and Safety Standards
After the publication of the EgyptAir final report, aviation bodies such as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have advocated for updating global safety protocols. They have begun to consider the reconstruction of procedures for dealing with potential threats in situations involving explosives. To improve security, some airports and even airlines have made immediate changes to screening processes. These include the modernisation of suspicious object detection technologies and an increased number of random checks on passengers. This response from companies highlights the commitment of the entire aviation industry to raising global safety standards. In addition, authorities in all countries are working on proactive measures that aim to reduce risks and minimise the number of aviation accidents.
Further Security Development
The final report on the EgyptAir tragedy is a crucial step towards understanding aviation safety issues. The aviation industry is doing its best to ensure that safety protocols on board guarantee full protection of passengers. By improving the security structure, it seeks to anticipate all possible developments and avoid a recurrence of such tragedies.
What do you think about the safety procedures airports have implemented? What other measures do you think should be in place? Share your opinion in the comments.