Controller stabbed to death

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A Skyguide controller that was "working" the mid air collision between a Tu-154 and a B757 above Überlingen was stabbed to death last night at his home in Zürich.

Police would not comment about a possible connection to the accident. The perpetrator was not apprehended. Reported to speak "broken German".

[tug3]

Go to Flight Deck forums - Rumours & News for more...

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=120420

[qwerty2]

Here are the Reuters pages

http://tinyurl.com/2rr3y
http://tinyurl.com/2vfeu

Our thoughts go out to his family , friends and colleagues.

[Timothy]

I sometimes wonder how you guys can bear to live with the level of responsibility that you take.

I know that we on the flight deck also share the burden, but somehow being part of the risk (ie sharing it with those on board and under the flight path) mitigates it, whereas you guys sit there for extended periods pushing dots around the screen, knowing that each dot represents 100-450 people.

I don't think that I could live with the stress. Respect to those of you that can.

Timothy

[flapsforty]

Heard this on the radio just now; thoughts go to all ATCO friends on PPRuNe.
As a flight attendant, the descriptions of how the FAs were stabbed on sept 11th still haunt me at times.

Most likely many of you will feel the same way after this murder.
Great respect for the job you people do, sadness for what you must be feeling now.
jude

[Topofthestack]

I was shocked and moved to tears when I heard this news. All the thoughts of my family go out to his; is there any way the world-wide ATCO family can help?

[wlatc]

As this is written, many of the facts surrounding the murder of a Skyguide air traffic controller in Switzerland are not known. What is certain is that a life has been taken and a colleague has been tragically lost.

“TCAS is an accident waiting to happen.”

How many of us heard this during the introduction of TCAS? How many of us said it? 80%? 90%? All of us? We spoke out individually and we spoke out collectively through our professional organizations. Again and again, controllers decried the haphazard way TCAS was being introduced. We knew it was a question of “when” and not “if.” Few, if any, of us were silent – and our voices were not heeded. A flawed technology was rushed into place. Lives were lost. Lessons went unlearned.

Another writer in the PPRuNe board asks what we, air traffic controllers, can do as a community in this tragic time. I offer the following suggestions:

1) Rededicate yourself to excellence in your profession. The ATC career demands that we perform as near to perfection as is humanly possible. We do so, not out of fear, but out of the knowledge that what we do is vitally important. Being a controller matters. Being an excellent controller matters greatly.

2) Do not accept unsafe working practices or equipment. Although the announced agenda of the agencies and companies we all work for is air safety, practical, business and political considerations regularly come into play. Do not be naive. If you see unsafe situations developing it is your duty to speak out and your obligation to intervene. You are the experts: not the ATM managers, scientists and bureaucrats. You know what is safe and what is not safe. It is upon your shoulders that rests the burden to insure that unsafe equipment and dangerous procedures are thrown into the trash bin where they belong!

3) Be kind to one another. It's a tough job and we're in it together.

Rich Smith
http://atcea.com - the world of ATC Training

[Brian81]

My thoughts are of course with the poor family of the victim. I wondered where Wlatc was going with his TCAS, then I it became more clear and brightened a tragic thread...

Quote:

"Be kind to one another. It's a tough job and we're in it together."

Unquote.

Here, here Rich. I've taken all of your points onboard. If one good thing has come of this, it is your rallying cry at the highest of standards being heard by at least one.

Take care everyone.

Bri.

[M609]

My thoughts are with his family. Another traumatic experience for them :(

Sadly a representative for relatives of the russian casaulites of the Überlingen incident spoke on BBC World today, stating that death was a too easy way out for the controller in question.
:yuk:

[The Nr Fairy]

I've already posted this in R&N, it may get more exposure here.


-start--
Firstly I'd like to add my condolences to the growing list of those already expressed - it won't bring the gentleman back, but I hope in some small way it helps.

Secondly, I was listening to the BBC Radio 4 news this evening, and heard the controller described as "responsible for the crash" on two occasions. I felt this was so wrong that I phoned the BBC feedback number - 0870 010 0222 - and said so, with brief reasons why. The gent at the other end has registered my comments, and will feed them to the producers at BBC Radio 4 news. Whether anything happens remains to be seen. If anyone else heard the same reports I would urge them to do the same.

--end--

[2 sheds]

Agree entirely with Fairy. Condolences to the controller's friends and family and work colleagues.

I heard the BBC headline with disbelief at the slanderous description - shall also telephone a complaint.

2 sheds

[newarksmells]

If the controller's death had anything to due with the tragic accident that occured while he was working, it sure is a miserable, rotten, angry world we all live in.

I pray to God it wasn't.

Newarksmells

[Kuntrol_Freek]

ZURICH, Switzerland (Reuters) - Swiss police said Thursday they were holding a man who lost his wife, son and daughter in an airliner crash on suspicion of killing the air traffic controller who had been on duty the night his family died.

Police and prosecutors declined to give the suspect's nationality but said he had first attracted suspicion by his odd behavior at an anniversary service in July for the 71, mainly Russian, victims of the mid-air collision of two planes in 2002.

The Danish-born controller, stabbed to death on the doorstep of his family home near Zurich airport Tuesday, had been in charge of traffic over Lake Constance when a holiday charter carrying more than 50 Russian children collided with a DHL cargo jet.

Police have said revenge might have been the motive for the attack on the 36-year-old controller, who died from multiple stab wounds in front of his wife and children.

Witnesses said the killer was a burly man who spoke broken German and who had asked directions to the controller's home.

"One of the options was that the assailant was to be found among the victims' families," Zurich prosecutor Pascal Gossner told a news conference.

The detained man had been calm during questioning and denied the charges. "However, he obviously still had been unable to deal with the tragic loss of his wife and children," he said.

Police arrested the 48-year-old man Wednesday at a hotel near the victim's house. Gossner said the man had no links to Switzerland and had only been there once before, for the remembrance service.

Police declined to say where he had intended to go from Switzerland but said he had entered the country legally.

Police chief Georges Dulex told reporters the victim's neighbor had approached a man acting suspiciously outside the air traffic controller's home shortly before the stabbing.

Dulex said the victim had then confronted the assailant in his front garden. After a short conversation, he was stabbed repeatedly. His wife heard noises and came out of the house to see the attacker flee on foot.

A knife with a 5.5-inch blade found close to the crime scene was being examined by forensic experts.

A catalog of errors surrounded the crash. While his colleague took a break, the Dane had been the only controller monitoring traffic over Switzerland and neighboring southern Germany. Crash warning systems had been out of action.

Days after the disaster, the Dane acknowledged that errors in the control network contributed to the crash.

His employer, Skyguide, compensated families of the crews recently, but negotiations with most of the dead children's relatives were still going on, lawyers and a Skyguide spokeswoman said.

The handling of the fallout from the crash chilled Switzerland's relations with Russia. Swiss authorities at first suggested that errors by the pilots of the Bashkirian Airlines Tupolev 154 might have been to blame for their aircraft flying into the Boeing 757 cargo plane.

[PPRuNe Radar]

Sincere condolences to the family involved, this mindless act solves nothing. And regardless of the loss the alleged perpetrator has suffered, he has NO right to take another life. He deserves the full force of the law. Sorry folks, he has taken away his right to a normal life.

It seems some people have jumped to conclusions in this tragic accident. However, let us all see, read, and digest the report when it comes out. Somebody, someone, something, f###### up, make no mistake. Let´s not hide from what it was, no matter how close to us it is. It could be the system, the organisation, and most probably the person (RIP). We are all human and make mistakes ..... c´est la vie. How many of us say, what was that Skyguide controller playing at ..... I´d NEVER get in to that situation. And how many of us actually do, now and then ??

I shall now be brutal, now be Devils Advocate ..... we all have spoken about this incident. We have all said ´What was that guy playing at ??´How could he have let two aircraft collide during a quiet period. How ?? Why ?? How could he ??

If we learn nothing else, then let us ponder this.

Don´t relax when it is quiet. Night shifts don´t mean nothing will collide.

Don´t accept reduced equipment from management if YOU are not 100% happy that YOU can cope and have the required redundancy or support.

Remember TCAS is streets ahead of radar in terms of accuracy and data currency. By the time you give your instruction, 9 times out of 10 the aircraft has probably done something else. TCAS updates almost every second, radar every 10 seconds.

And remember the one of our brethren who ( like ALL of us can, will, and could) made a tragic mistake. And paid ultimately with his life.

Lets hope not only Skyguide, but EVERY ATS organisation in the world, learn from what the individual AND the company did wrong and don´t let it happen again .... PLEASE

[Scott Voigt]

But for the grace of God go I.... I am sure that most of us who have worked a midnight shift, can think back to times where only but if...

There are some of us in the US who are looking into trying to do something to help the family. Does anyone know of an effort being put together by the controllers association at Skyguide?

regards

Scott

[Hogg]

So sorry and saddened to read this.

May he rest in peace and may his family somehow be comforted.

Sorry

Hogg

[Engineer]

"this mindless act solves nothing "

For the man who lost his wife and two children it would appear it provided a solution to his grief stricken existence.

Maybe he believe in the "eye for an eye" form of justice

[SM4 Pirate]

May he rest in peace.

My deepest sympathy for his family and colleagues.

We (ATCs) are a close nit community despite the apparent tyrannies of distance. In Australia this news has saddened many; your in our thoughts.

There but for the grace of god go us all.

[Quokka]

I don't understand why that controller's family and friends have to pay a price.... and for what?

This is a tragic act that has touched every one of us in Australia and I pray that it never happens again. My thoughts and the thoughts of every controller here are with the family and with all the controllers in Switzerland.

This is a truly sad day...

[FoxRomeo]

Hi Scott,

there have been inquiries made by German colleagues. The reply has been posted on the German forum (in German only).

Skyguide thanks for the condolences and is "moved" by the idea to collect a fund for Peter N.s family. Skyguide asks to understand that no account has been set up at present and they are unable to give an definite answer. They appreciate the initiative and will come back to the initiator. Followed by the usual thanks and good bye.

Just to sum it up, I guess its a unique experience for every one of us.

FR

[Spuds McKenzie]

Scott,

Check your PMs.

FR,

Where's the German Forum?

:confused:

[ATC Watcher]

Hello Scott,

The Swiss controllers association (s) are preparing something of that nature .( unfortunately their web site is down : www.skycontrol.ch) possibly in conjunction with IFATCA. My suggestion is you contact Marc ( [email protected]) who will tell you what is planned.

I unserstand that in addition some symbolic action is planned in a few European countries on the day Peter will be buried.

Another very, very sad day for ATC .

take care,

ATCW

P.S. :You can also follow this subject in " Rumours and news"

[Scott Voigt]

Thanks for the posts from all of you... If they are going to put out something at IFATCA then our group will bring it back with them, but I would still like try to keep up with it so that we can also try to do a grass roots effort. We are normally pretty good about taking care of our own... No matter where they lived and worked...

regards

Scott

[FoxRomeo]

Spuds,

here's the link, however German only.

http://forum.myphorum.de/list.php?f=8631&collapse=1

FR

[Spuds McKenzie]

Thanks FR, just read through it.
In general, I must say the worldwide sympathy of the ATC community is indeed very impressive and touching. It shows that we really are a Band of Brothers.

:ok:

[Sonnendec]

Its really bad times for ATCO´s all over the world, specially for us around Europe. This tragedy is a new step in our profession.

Around one third of controllers at Skyguide did not show up to work on Wednesday due to depression and shock. Maybe the media should reconsider the way they state that someone is responsible for something that is still under investigation... There is not only one murderer, but many of them in this case.

P.N. was another victim of the several circumstances (including his posible error), and never deserved to end like this. How are we supposed to work with fear?

Friends, colleagues, these are times to stay together more than ever, one of ours has gone, let him rest in peace.

A huge support for our Skyguide colleagues and for ATCO´s all over the world from the spanish controllers. Keep them separated, and always remember P.N.

Best and sad sad sad regards.

Pescha, You Will Never Walk Alone.