Many officials disciplined in the case of air traffic controller falling asleep

Six officers of the Northern Air Traffic Management Company and Cat Bi Air Traffic Control Station were disciplined for their involvement in the case of an air traffic controller falling asleep while on duty.

Mr. Pham Viet Dung, General Director of Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM), said that the unit has just reviewed the collective and individual responsibilities related to the incident that disrupted flight operations at Cat Bi airport on March 9.

Accordingly, VATM disciplined the Party with a warning for the Party Cell of Cat Bi Air Traffic Control Station; removed Party Cell Secretary Nguyen Chi Manh, Deputy Head of Air Traffic Control Station, from office due to failure to complete his duties and lack of inspection and supervision; warned air traffic controller Nguyen Van Chanh for violating labor discipline, leaving his duty position without reporting to the officer in charge; and reprimanded Mr. Luong Van Binh, Deputy Head of Air Traffic Control Station, for lacking determination and responsibility in inspection and supervision.

Cat Bi Air Traffic Control Tower.

Regarding administrative discipline, VATM reprimanded Mr. Nguyen Duc Hieu, Deputy Director of the Northern Air Traffic Management Company for not completing his duties in charge of directing Cat Bi Air Traffic Control Station; reprimanded Mr. Nguyen Tien Thanh, Safety and Security Department of the Northern Air Traffic Management Company for not supervising the implementation of safety recommendations; and reprimanded two Deputy Station Managers, Nguyen Chi Manh and Luong Van Binh, for not checking and supervising.

The main air traffic controller on duty, Luong Minh Thu, was transferred to another job, had his salary reduced, and his salary increase period extended for 6 months due to violating labor discipline; the contract operator Nguyen Van Chanh was reprimanded for violating labor discipline and regulations on maintaining shifts.

According to Mr. Pham Viet Dung, the unit has organized a safety conference for the entire corporation to learn from the air traffic disruption incident at Cat Bi.

Previously, the Northern Airport Authority decided to impose an administrative fine of VND7.5 million and revoke the air traffic controller licenses for 2 months for two controllers, Luong Thi Minh Thu (31 years old) and Nguyen Van Chanh.

According to the report, female air traffic controller Luong Thi Minh Thu was assigned to be on duty from 7:00 p.m. on March 9 to 7:30 a.m. on March 10, including the task of operating flight VJ921 taking off from Hai Phong to Seoul (South Korea) and flight VJ 292 from Ho Chi Minh City to Hai Phong.

However, during her duty, Ms. Thu fell asleep and did not maintain communication channels from 9:40 p.m. to 11:15 p.m. on March 9. This caused flight operations to be interrupted for more than 30 minutes, and the pilots of two flights contacted 39 times without any response.

Employee Nguyen Van Chanh was assigned to work on a contract, but was not present at work from 9:40 p.m. on March 9 to 5:40 a.m. on March 10.

According to VNE