ensure the safety of lives and rescue equipment, a comprehensive and complete contingency plan for airports must be developed and implemented in practice to avoid the disasters and incidents resulting from terrorist acts, unlawful interference, unintentional human errors by the pilot or engineer, or a sudden technical malfunction of the aircraft". He added that each party shall know its responsibilities and duties towards executing the emergency plan and applying it in the field. "The meeting is an opportunity to present the opinions and proposals to update the plan."

In turn, Dr. Abdulhamid Abu Talib- Asst. Deputy Chairman of Aviation Safety Sector pointed out that the duties and tasks of each authority participating in the emergency plan execution were clarified during the meeting through a brochure that was distributed to the participants. In addition, he stressed that the airports emergency plan and its execution is imposed by ICAO at all the international airports around the world. He also indicated that the execution of this plan comes within the framework of the Republic of Yemen commitment as a member state of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the application of all international requirements for aviation safety and airports.

For his part, Mr. Khaled Al-Shayef- Director General Sana'a International Airport stressed the importance of updating the emergency plan of the airport as an essential part to enhance its readiness in the technical, professional, administrative, operational and security aspects. He pointed out that the equipment, fire trucks and technical systems are in complete readiness for any emergency at the airport or its surroundings indicating that the airport receives- on a daily basis- the United Nations and International Organizations special flights where all technical equipment, systems, firefighting vehicles and staff are also in complete and high readiness to secure all the flights arriving and departing the airport. Mr. Al-Shayef also referred that the human cadres working at the airport are technically and professionally qualified, which contribute to enhancing the local and international civil aviation security and safety in accordance with the international requirements of ICAO.
 
 

The meeting also discussed the powers of authority of the participating authorities in the contingency plan in terms of aviation accidents inside the airport, the duties and powers of authority of the air traffic controller, the firefighting and rescue services at the airport and the procedures for carrying out the duties. In the meantime, the participants in the meeting also were fully aware of the tasks and duties of the Airports Security Unit, Sana'a Governorate Security Forces, Air Force, Immigration and Passports, Traffic Police, the tasks of the Accidents Investigation Committee, Airlines and their agents, as well as the duties of CAMA in terms of the execution plan continuous follow-up.

The meeting was attended by Eng. Mohammed Saeed Hamid- Asst. Deputy Chairman of Meteorology Sector, Brigadier General/ Abdul Karim Ma'ayad- Deputy Chairman of Civil Defense Authority and a number of the Ministry of Health and Coast Guards Officials.