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MAG Orders Mandatory Drug Tests for All Pilots After Arrest
Malaysia Airlines parent MAG begins mandatory drug screening for 1,260 pilots after a pilot was arrested with 26 kg of MDMA. Pilots not tested by Aug. 15 barred from flying.
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Malaysia Aviation Group, the parent of Malaysia Airlines, ordered mandatory drug testing for all pilots across its airlines, the company said Friday. The first phase covers 1,260 pilots. Anyone who does not complete the screening by Aug. 15 will be barred from flying until cleared.
The move follows the July 28 arrest of a 39-year-old off-duty pilot in Jakarta. Customs officials found 26 kilograms of MDMA in his luggage. Urine tests also showed the pilot had used cocaine and methamphetamines, the customs office said. The pilot, identified by his initials MS, told investigators he was paid 50,000 Malaysian ringgit to transport the drugs, according to Eko Hadi Santoso, director of narcotics crimes at Indonesia's National Police Criminal Investigation Agency, as reported by the Associated Press.
MAG said the pilot was a second officer traveling as an observer in the cockpit jump seat, not operating the aircraft. The company called the actions "completely unacceptable and contrary to the professional standards expected of its personnel." President and Group Chief Executive Officer Nasaruddin A. Bakar said, "Operational safety and crew fitness for duty are non-negotiable."