More Snapped Cables Found

For the second time in as many months, someone has tried to sabotage a commercial passenger aircraft at the international in Kuala Lumpur. Luckily, for the second time, the attempt was discovered on the ground.

Now, the Malaysian airport authority has ordered all aircraft be "stringently" checked before flight. Not only that, but Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy says all aircraft are to be watched 'round the clock, using cameras to be placed around the airport. "Each and every plane has to be checked thoroughly before take-off, so there is no way a plane with some technical fault will be allowed to take off."

Control cables have been damaged in several aircraft, according to The Straits Times. Wednesday, ground crews found the cables used to steer a Malaysian Airlines 777 on the ground had been cut. The aircraft was bound for Bombay with 280 passengers. The flight was delayed.

Just a few weeks ago, flight control cables aboard an MAS Airbus A300 headed from Kuala Lumpur to Perth, Australia, were cut. Three hundred passengers were stranded for a short time until the airline could come up with a replacement aircraft. Three airline workers were arrested. But the Strait Times reports they were released after investigators figured they were vandals and not saboteurs.

FMI: www.malaysiaairlines.com