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Mohamed Ramadan: Egypt star in cockpit gets pilot banned for life | Mohamed Ramadan: Egypt star in cockpit gets pilot banned for life |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Egypt has banned a pilot for life for allowing celebrity and actor Mohamed Ramadan to sit in the cockpit during a private flight to Saudi Arabia. | Egypt has banned a pilot for life for allowing celebrity and actor Mohamed Ramadan to sit in the cockpit during a private flight to Saudi Arabia. |
The actor and singer posted a video of himself in the co-pilot's seat, holding the controls, as someone else commented he's "driving the plane now". | |
The co-pilot was also reportedly banned for a year over the incident. | |
The flight was run by Smart Aviation, whose chief executive resigned his post, officials said. | |
"After confirming the violations against the Egyptian civil aviation law, we have taken deterrent measures towards the reckless and irresponsible actions [of the pilot]," Egypt's civil aviation ministry said in a statement, reported by Masrawy news. | "After confirming the violations against the Egyptian civil aviation law, we have taken deterrent measures towards the reckless and irresponsible actions [of the pilot]," Egypt's civil aviation ministry said in a statement, reported by Masrawy news. |
Aviation safety for Egyptian airliners was paramount, the ministry added. | Aviation safety for Egyptian airliners was paramount, the ministry added. |
Mohamed Ramadan, who has more than seven million subscribers on his YouTube channel, posted the video on 13 October to his Twitter and Instagram accounts. | Mohamed Ramadan, who has more than seven million subscribers on his YouTube channel, posted the video on 13 October to his Twitter and Instagram accounts. |
Speaking to camera, he says: "In a first of its kind, I will go drive the plane." | Speaking to camera, he says: "In a first of its kind, I will go drive the plane." |
The clip cuts to him entering the cockpit, where he sits next to the pilot with his hands on the control wheel. | The clip cuts to him entering the cockpit, where he sits next to the pilot with his hands on the control wheel. |
An unidentified man off camera then says: "I swear to God, Mohamed Ramadan is the one driving the plane now." | An unidentified man off camera then says: "I swear to God, Mohamed Ramadan is the one driving the plane now." |
Egyptian aviation rules stipulate that passengers are not allowed to enter the cockpit while a flight is in operation. | Egyptian aviation rules stipulate that passengers are not allowed to enter the cockpit while a flight is in operation. |
Some on social media responded angrily to the video, with calls for the actor to be boycotted. | Some on social media responded angrily to the video, with calls for the actor to be boycotted. |
Ramadan, who has appeared in more than a dozen Egyptian films and several TV series, was said to be travelling with his band to perform at an entertainment festival in the Saudi capital Riyadh. | Ramadan, who has appeared in more than a dozen Egyptian films and several TV series, was said to be travelling with his band to perform at an entertainment festival in the Saudi capital Riyadh. |
The 31-year-old actor has also made his mark in the music industry, with his hit song Mafia getting more than 158m views on YouTube. | The 31-year-old actor has also made his mark in the music industry, with his hit song Mafia getting more than 158m views on YouTube. |
Despite his huge fan base, Ramadan has courted controversy in the past. | Despite his huge fan base, Ramadan has courted controversy in the past. |
In August, there were calls for the singer to be banned from performing after he was criticised for wearing a see-through shirt and dancing "provocatively" at one of his concerts. | In August, there were calls for the singer to be banned from performing after he was criticised for wearing a see-through shirt and dancing "provocatively" at one of his concerts. |
He was also criticised back in 2016 for being insensitive to fans, many of whom are from low-income backgrounds, after boasting about two luxury cars he had bought. | He was also criticised back in 2016 for being insensitive to fans, many of whom are from low-income backgrounds, after boasting about two luxury cars he had bought. |
Other Egypt stories you may be interested in: | Other Egypt stories you may be interested in: |
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