An assailant stabbed to death the air traffic controller who was on duty when two planes collided over southern Germany in July 2002, killing 71 people, Swiss police said on Tuesday.
The 36-year old Danish national, whose name was unavailable, was employed by Skyguide, the Swiss air traffic control in charge of monitoring parts of Germany’s airspace just across the border from Switzerland.
A spokesman for Skyguide said the man had been in charge of monitoring air traffic in the region around Lake Constance when the two planes — a Tupolev TU154 operated by Bashkirian Airlines and a Boeing 757 cargo plane operated by DHL — collided in mid-air.
The victims were mostly Russian children. Zurich police said in a statement an unknown man had called on the air traffic controller at his home outside Zurich and, after a short verbal exchange, stabbed him to death.
A spokesman said it was “totally open” whether the crime was in any way related to the air disaster. He said police were still looking for the assailant, described as a dark-haired man in his early 50s who was speaking “broken German”.
Skyguide has been criticized for its role in the air accident after investigators revealed that only one controller was on duty when it happened, while his partner was on a break.
Investigators also said the agency’s collision alert system was out of action for maintenance, and work on its telephone system meant a warning call from German colleagues never got through.
In a statement released just days after the accident, the air traffic controller had acknowledged that errors in the traffic control network contributed to the disaster.
By: atc pal - 27th February 2004 at 14:04
Kev 35
“How many of us could see the person HE saw as responsible for the deaths of his family living a ‘normal’ life with their family?”
I can see both points – but do believe they are dealing with a sick individual here.
It has come forward now, that the controller was NOT living a normal life, but was plagued with guilt.
Is that not the worst punishment. To live the rest of your life knowing you were involved in all those deaths?
Lawsuits in USA. A woman wants millions for seeing Janet Jackson’s tit :rolleyes:
The Milano accident. Someone is suing Cessna for bad lookout from the cockpit – WIHIH!
By: kev35 - 26th February 2004 at 17:40
Incredibly sad but understandable. This man lost his family, and while I can understand his actions, I can’t condone them. My Uncle died as a result of a violent attack last year and I know if I could conclusively be sure who made the attack it is doubtful he would see another Christmas. I realise that statement makes me a bit of a hypocrite but situations like this do affect you. My rational mind would say report him to the Law and let him serve the trivial sentence he would no doubt receive. My irrational mind would dearly like me to kick the last ounce of breath out of the man.
But in the case of the man who lost the three people he loved most in the world? How many of us could see the person HE saw as responsible for the deaths of his family living a ‘normal’ life with their family? We unfortunately live in a culture of blame, in America he would probably have sued every organisation and individual involved. This man chose a more direct approach. I would hope the courts treat him with leniency and compassion and that the family of the air traffic controller receive the support they will undoubtedly need in the months and years ahead.
Tragedy heaped upon tragedy.
Regards,
kev35
By: EGNM - 26th February 2004 at 15:12
awefully sad and sick. However much the killer is greiving it is no excuse for his actions.
By: Ren Frew - 26th February 2004 at 14:06
Swiss police have arrested the man and say that he lost his wife, son and daughter in the crash. Obviously not in a fit frame of mind then.
By: Pembo330 - 26th February 2004 at 09:56
I feel sick after reading this. 😡
By: atc pal - 25th February 2004 at 20:46
No, I didn’t know the guy. Some of my colleagues here trained or worked with him – or his wife.
I heard it on Sky News this morning driving to work – and almost ran off the road. Very sad. The official investigation of the midair is about to be released in about a month. From a supervisor course a year ago I found out that although he apparantly made a mistake – two crossing planes at same level – the chips were slowly stacked against him that night. (www.bfu-web.de , www.eurocontrol.int/projects/eatmp/acas , “Controller” (unknown webside))
I will not speculate, but every controller has had moments when he/she afterwards think: “There but for the grace of God …”
Also take a look at PPRUNE ATC issues.
Thank You for the sympathy!
By: Jeanske_SN - 25th February 2004 at 18:08
Swiss hunt air controller’s killer
Most of those killed in the air crash were Russian schoolchildren
Swiss police have launched a hunt for the killer of an air traffic controller who had been on duty at the time of a deadly mid-air collision in 2002.
They are looking for a man, speaking broken German, who fled on foot after stabbing his victim in front of his wife at their home in Zurich.
Police are not ruling out a link between the killing and the crash.
Seventy-one people – mostly Russian children from wealthy families- died in the disaster over southern Germany.
The controller – a 36-year-old Danish national – has never been publicly named.
He was placed on medical leave after the crash, but had since been allowed to return to work on other duties, according to reports.
Swiss police said a link to the crash was a “central issue” in their hunt for the attacker, who is described as being powerfully built and aged around 50.
Company shock
“(Revenge) cannot be ruled out,” public prosecutor Pascal Gossner told Reuters news agency. “We are looking into whether there is a link between the killing and the air accident.”
The families do not want to be associated with this
Victims family lawyer Gerrit Wilmans
But added: “We will also be looking into the personal circumstances of the victim”.
The dead man’s employer, the Swiss air traffic agency Skyguide, said it was appalled by the killing and that its employees were “in shock”.
A quarter of Skyguide’s Zurich staff reportedly did not arrive for work on Wednesday.
The firm said air traffic was scaled back by 40% temporarily because of the impact of the killing.
Employees and the family of the controller were said to be receiving special counselling.
Zurich police were helping organise special protection for employees – particularly for a second controller on duty the night of the crash, Skyguide said.
The man was stabbed to death in front of his wife at home
The prosecutor said it was “speculation” that the murder was an act of vengeance on behalf of the bereaved families.
“You have to say he spoke broken German. But you cannot say he was from Russia,” the prosecutor said.
A lawyer for families of the crash victims said they were distressed at such a connection being made.
“We reject any violent act… The families do not want to be associated with this,” Gerrit Wilmans told Reuters.
Erros admitted
The murdered controller was in charge of traffic over Lake Constance late on 1 July 2002 when a holiday charter carrying mostly Russian children collided with a DHL cargo jet above the town of Ueberlingen.
Skyguide has been criticised for its role in tragedy after investigators revealed that only one controller was on duty when the collision happened. His partner had been on a break.
Accident investigators said the controller told the pilot of the Russian plane to descend when its onboard collision warning equipment was telling it to climb.
Investigators also discovered that the agency’s collision alert system was out of action for maintenance, and work on its telephone system meant a warning call from German colleagues never got through.
The victims included 52 Russian schoolchildren, most of them sons and daughters of the wealthy elite of the republic of Bashkortostan in the southern Urals region.
In a statement released after the accident, the air traffic controller acknowledged that errors in the traffic control network contributed to the disaster.
BBC
By: Hand87_5 - 25th February 2004 at 12:20
Yep hopefully.
Maybe ATC_PAL knew the guy ??
By: Ren Frew - 25th February 2004 at 12:13
Originally posted by Hand87_5
What a shame.
Maybe some guys who had a beloved killed in the accident…
Probably, but that’s no excuse for murder. I hope they catch the perpetrator.
By: Hand87_5 - 25th February 2004 at 12:08
What a shame.
Maybe some guys who had a beloved killed in the accident…
By: Bmused55 - 25th February 2004 at 08:29
Originally posted by Ren Frew
That’s outrageous to be be frank.
Absolutely. At the end of the day it wasn’t entirely his fault. It was his Managers or the System’s fault.
With the procedures they had in place and accident was bound to happen, he was the unlucky Pawn.
Sad, Sad
By: Ren Frew - 25th February 2004 at 08:27
That’s outrageous to be be frank.
By: Charley B - 25th February 2004 at 08:23
How dreadfully sad.
Apparently his wife is an Air Traffic Controller in Switzerland as well and he was the father of three young children.Our thoughts must be with them at this sad time.
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February 25, 2004 at 3:03 am