«Breaking News» Japanese pilot caught drunk at Heathrow is jailed for 10 months

A pilot due to fly from Heathrow to Japan who was caught nine times over the alcohol limit has been jailed for almost a year.

Drunk first officer Katsutoshi Jitsukawa, 42, was arrested at the airport after failing a breath test just 50 minutes before the Japan Airlines (JAL) flight to Tokyo was due to take off with him in the cockpit.

He was due to fly a Boeing 777 aircraft which holds up to 244 passengers.

Judge Phillip Matthews described the co-pilot as 'very intoxicated' ahead of the October 28 flight, as he sentenced him to 10 months' imprisonment at Isleworth Crown Court on Thursday.

Katsutoshi Jitsukawa, 42, was arrested at the airport after failing a breath test just 50 minutes before Japan Airlines (JAL) flight JL44 to Tokyo was due to take off with him in the cockpit (file picture)

'You are an experienced pilot but you had clearly been drinking for a long period up to a time shortly before you were due to go into that plane,' the judge said.

'Most important is the safety of all persons on board that very long-haul flight, potentially 12 hours or more. Their safety was put at risk by your inebriation and drunkenness.

'The prospect of you taking over control of that aircraft is too appalling to contemplate. The potential consequences for those on board was catastrophic.' 

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said Jitsukawa pleaded guilty to exceeding the alcohol limit at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Thursday, November 1.

Japanese media reported that police were alerted by the driver of a crew bus who smelled alcohol on the pilot. 

Tests revealed he had 189mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in his system, almost nine times the 20mg limit for a pilot.

The drink-drive limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 80mg.

JAL issued an apology and pledged to 'implement immediate actions to prevent any future occurrence', adding that 'safety remains our utmost priority'.

Airline executives told reporters that Jitsukawa cleared an in-house breath test before arousing the suspicions of the bus driver who was taking him to the plane from Heathrow Airport.

A second breath test before takeoff showed that he had consumed 'excessive alcohol', the co-pilot was arrested by British police and required to undergo a blood test which confirmed those results, the company said in a press release.

A judge said the prospect of Jitsukawa being at the controls of the plane was 'too appalling to contemplate' (file picture)

'We are certain (the in-house breath test) wasn't conducted properly,' Muneaki Kitahara, JAL's head of communications, told a press conference. 

The plane departed London for Tokyo's Haneda airport after a delay of one hour and nine minutes, forcing the airline to operate the flight with two pilots rather than the customary three.

Long haul flights, particularly those longer than 12 hours, are normally piloted by two captains and a co-pilot so they can rotate breaks.

'The company sincerely apologises to the passengers and to all affected by the employee's actions,' JAL said in the press release.

Linkhienalouca.com

https://hienalouca.com/2018/11/29/japanese-pilot-caught-drunk-at-heathrow-is-jailed-for-10-months/
Main photo article A pilot due to fly from Heathrow to Japan who was caught nine times over the alcohol limit has been jailed for almost a year.
Drunk first officer Katsutoshi Jitsukawa, 42, was arrested at the airport after failing a breath test just 50 minutes before the Japan Airlines (JAL) flight to Tokyo was...

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Dianne Reeves Online news HienaLouca





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