Report: Relief pilot ordered EgyptAir co-pilot out of seat
WASHINGTON -- The relief co-pilot suspected of
putting EgyptAir Flight 990 into a fatal dive reportedly
used his seniority to order the plane's co-pilot out of his
seat shortly before the crash. Gameel el-Batouty "pull(ed)
rank" on the younger co-pilot, investigators told the New
York Times.The conversation between the more senior aviator
el-Batouty, 59, and co-pilot Adel Anwar, 36, was in
Arabic. Three U.S. officials who described it told the
newspaper they were relying on translations and the tone
of voice.They would not give specific wording of the conversation,
which was recorded on the plane's cockpit voice recorder
before the plane plunged into the ocean off
Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, killing all 217 people
aboard."He was using his stature," said one official, who
described el-Batouty as being "very assertive." Another
U.S. official told the Times that "very insistent" was a
better description than "assertive."
Okay, yes, I'm creeping myself out here...YIKES! I'd better leave this and go shopping a while.......LOL!