Vietnam Airlines has clarified that the company is investigating a case involving a company pilot , whose initial drug test returned positive for ketamine. This comes in a time, when Vietnam is losing its reputation to become a drug-trafficking hub , despite having some of the harshest drug laws in the world
In a recent aviation related case , the suspected pilot , an Airbus A321 flight crew , has been identified as P.H.D.1, is temporarily suspended from work while awaiting the official conclusion.
On April 25 , the medical station of flight crew 919 performed a health check on the Pilot prior to flight VN578, but Pilot P.H.D.1. declined to be tested for narcotics.
Later , he was taken to a Medlatec office at 141 Ngô Gia Tự, Long Biên District, Hà Nội for a clinical drug test ,and the next day, Medlatec Hospital returned the results showing that ketamine was found.
Đặng Anh Tuấn, the official airline spokesman for the case, said the positive result is from an initial test that needs further examination. While, the Deputy Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, Hồ Minh Tấn, also said that there was still a need for in-depth medical tests.
It is because there are cases where the initial test result returns positive and then negative the second time, or the person may be taking medications with by-products related to the substance being tested, he added.
In accordance with regulations, the airline has also originally reported to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam and will update the official results with the Department. The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam is also working on an official test for the pilot at a hospital before issuing a final conclusion.
If the results show that this pilot has used a banned substance, according to current regulations, the pilot's licence will be revoked permanently.
A representative for Vietnam Airlines further stated that, in accordance with current regulations, pilot D has been temporarily stopped from work until the investigation is conducted.
Đặng Anh Tuấn said that the health check of the pilot is a routine performed by the airline, both periodically and irregularly.
"We always ensure that the safety of operation, the safety and the health of passengers and employees is always the most important goal," said Tuấn.
"Therefore, the airline always proactively inspects and reviews to detect and handle promptly handle cases of violations of rules and regulations in this field."
Related to the case , the accused pilot has submitted two painkillers , he was taking without a doctor's prescription.
However, it was found that the active ingredient in painkillers does not have ketamine-related ingredients, while the body's metabolism process does not produce this substance.
In the month of March , four Vietnam Airlines flight attendants , who were detained with 11.4kg of drugs in their luggages , were released later due to lack of evidence. The 4 flew from Paris to HCMC on 16 March carrying 154 toothpaste tubes containing ecstasy & ketamine but denied that they were aware of them.
