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An easyJet pilot has been suspended after a jet carrying up to 190 people flew too close to a mountain as it descended into Egypt.
Captain Paul Elsworth was operating an easyJet flight travelling from Manchester airport to the popular Red Sea resort town of Hurghada, Egypt last month.
As the Airbus A320 started to descend on 2 February, the ground proximity warning system (GPWS), a safety feature which warns of a potential collision with terrain, was triggered in the cockpit.
As a result, the jet was pulled up and levelled. Passengers remained unaware that the plane had just flown much closer to a mountain than it should have.
A review found that the plane came within 770ft of the peak of a mountain while flying over the range at an altitude of 3,100ft. Pilots normally fly over this mountain range at around 6,000ft.
Sources told The Sun the jet had been descending at 4,928ft per minute before the GPWS sounded the alarm.
An official investigation is underway after Mr Elsworth is said to have reported the incident himself the next day before he was due to head back to Hurghada airport and pilot the plane back.
In line with protocol, easyJet banned the captain from flying the plane back to the UK and was flown back to Manchester as a passenger, The Sun reports.
The Sun’s source said: “Within moments of the flight drama being raised, officials stepped in and Paul Elsworth was forbidden from piloting the plane. Another flight crew brought the jet home.
“The pilot will be asked detailed questions. The GPWS only sounds when a plane is heading into terrain – in this instance a mountain.
“Passengers on board are understood to have been oblivious to the scare, and unaware of just how close they came to the mountain range as the plane descended into Egypt.”
After returning to the UK, Mr Elsworth was officially suspended while the investigations continue.
As part of the investigation, Mr Elsworth and the First Officer’s account will aid the understanding of what happened.
The suspended captain said it would be inappropriate for him to comment while there is an ongoing investigation, according to The Sun.
In a statement to The Independent, easyJet said: “Safety is the number one priority for all our pilots, they are trained to the highest industry standards, subject to rigorous testing and monitored closely.
“The flight landed normally and as we have an ongoing investigation, the pilot remains stood down from duty in line with procedures.”
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