Pilot who paused to pray in crash-landing sentenced to 10 years in jail

[Are_grits_groceries]

The 2005 crash at sea off Sicily left survivors swimming for their lives, some clinging to a piece of the fuselage that remained floating after the ATR turbo-prop aircraft splintered upon impact.

A fuel-gauge malfunction was partly to blame but prosecutors said the pilot had succumbed to panic, praying out loud instead of following emergency procedures and then opting to crash-land the plane instead trying to reach a nearby airport.

Another five employees of Tuninter, a subsidiary of Tunisair, were sentenced to between eight and nine years in jail by the court, in a verdict handed down on Monday.

The seven accused, who were not in court, will not spend time in jail until the appeals process has been exhausted.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/5043287/Pilot-who-paused-to-pray-in-crash-landing-sentenced-to-10-years-in-jail.html

"Trust in God, but tie up your camel."

[msongs]

1. evidently their god answered their prayers - they survived and to hell with the others nt

[Lance_Boyle]

2. remember - religion poses NO DANGER to humans

except when nutty-ass believers fly your planes, perform your surgeries, dispense your prescription medications, teach your children, etc.

[bluestateguy]

3. God appreciates the prayers, but He also wants you to do your job

nt

[skeewee08]

7. Amen!

[kojak]

12. You know it doesn't like being called that

[damntexdem]

4. Should have plenty of time for prayer, then.

[AndyTiedye]

5. What Were They Charged With?

While this is obviously extremely bad piloting, what is the crime they were charged with?

I suppose they could be charged with negligence, in testing that "God is my co-pilot" thing with passengers on board,
but only if this is something they planned to do, rather than a panic reaction.

[formercia]

10. Perhaps not properly maintaining the aircraft

Saying "God willing" before signing off on the maintenance doesn't cut it.

[soothsayer]

6. skully or whatever his name is said he didn"t have time to pray, he had to land the plane

[Ilsa]

16. Yeah, I read on DU where Katie C. asked him about that, and he

said that and then that he hoped maybe someone in the back of the jet was praying! Great response to one of the stupidest interview questions.

[NorthernSpy]

8. No, Jesus, DON'T take the wheel.

:scared:

[Dreamer Tatum]

9. Um...if they were Tunisian, my guess is they were praying to Allah nt

Wonder if that changes any of the derision on this thread.

[NorthernSpy]

14. you see, there was this recently-popular song called "Jesus, Take The Wheel"...

In the song, a woman with lots of troubles in her life is driving home, and her car hits ice. She throws her hands up and says, "Jesus, take the wheel".


Lots of people loved that song, even though such a response in the real world would likely make a dangerous situation worse. Because in reality,nothing fails like prayer. The song was a handy allusion for the point I wanted to make.

I'm aware that not everyone who wastes precious seconds by praying/casting spells/etc in the face of imminent danger follows the Christian religion.

[Stryguy]

15. I think his point is

The ridiculousness of thinking a prayer will somehow save you or others from disaster. I, along with many others, believe that when that plane is crash landing into the river it's not the 300 hours you spent praying in church/temple/etc that will save your ass, rather it's the 300 hours you spent in the simulator and studying that will save you.

It matters not who your god is. He's apparently too busy burning Jesus Christ's resemblance into a piece of toast or forming that special cheeto to look like Mary to save a doomed airliner.

[malaise]

11. One of the dumb M$Greedia hacks asks

Captain Sullenberger if he had prayed during his emergency. He told them no.

[Ilsa]

18. Couric, IIRC. "No" and that he thought maybe someone in the back was praying.

He said he was too busy. Silliest question ever.

[DemoTex]

13. The Anti-Sully

Revealed!

[RedCloud]

17. Maybe Zeus would have saved more.

Just to perk up his sagging numbers as of late.