Attempted Cyber Hijack During El Al Flight From Thailand Foiled

By Aryeh Stern

On Motzoei Shabbos, an attempt by “hostile elements” to seize control of the communication network of an El Al plane traveling from Phuket, Thailand, to Israel was foiled, as per a report by Kan News on Sunday. Despite the attempt to divert the plane from its intended destination, the aircraft safely reached Ben Gurion Airport.

This marks the second occurrence of such an incident within the past week, according to the report.

The episode unfolded over an area where the Iran-backed Houthis operate, although sources in Somalia informed Kan News that a group in the de-facto state of Somaliland, which recently entered into an agreement with Ethiopia, is believed to be behind the attempted attack.

During the incident, the crew received instructions deviating from their designated route, raising concerns of potential harm to the plane or an attempt to lead it into perilous areas, possibly for a kidnapping.

However, the crew defied the instructions, swiftly transitioning to alternative communication methods. Simultaneously, they cross-verified the information with other air traffic controllers, realizing they were being deceived and taking proactive measures to maintain the safety of the flight.