Sweden suspends commercial flights to Iraq amid allegations of attempted shootdown
{{date|August 28, 2007}}
[[Image:McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (DC-9-83) - Spanair - EC-FXA - LEMD - 20050305.jpg|thumb|220px|A file photo of an MD-83 similar to the one involved in the incident {{Image source|[[commons:User:Barcex|Barcex]].}}]]
[[Sweden]] has suspended all commercial flights in and out of [[Iraq]] amid allegations that an attempt was made to shoot down a [[w:Nordic Airways|Nordic Airways]] passenger jet.

On August 8 a Nordic Airways [[w:McDonnell Douglas|McDonnell Douglas]] [[w:McDonnell Douglas MD-80/MD-90|MD-83]] [[w:takeoff|took off]] on a flight between [[W:Sulaimaniyah|Sulaimaniyah]], northern Iraq to [[w:Stockholm|Stockholm]], Sweden, carrying 130 passengers. Shortly after take-off the pilots noticed a trail of light arcing over the aircraft in a fashion similar to that of an incoming missile.

According to a spokesman from the [[w:Swedish Civil Aviation Administration|Civil Aviation Authority]], the preliminary view is that "some kind of rocket" was fired at the aircraft. However, the director of [[w:Sulaimaniyah International Airport|Sulaimaniyah International Airport]], refuted the allegations, saying "the pilot's assumptions were wrong...in fact, the [[w:Kurd|Kurd]]ish hunters are using spotlights at night. We interviewed more than 50 passengers who arrived in Sweden and had been on board and they said nothing happened and they hadn't seen any gunfire."

Sweden's decision to ban services from Iraq affects two airlines, one being Nordic Airways, which operates a weekly service between Sulaimaniyah and Stockholm, and the other being [[w:Viking Airlines|Viking Airlines]], which runs a service between Stockholm and [[w:Irbil|Irbil]] four times a week.

According to the aviation authority, Nordic Airways has rebooked passengers scheduled to fly out of Iraq onto other services out of the country, but 3,000 people booked onto Viking Airlines's route are currently stranded in Iraq.

While flights currently remain suspended, [[w:Austrian Airlines|Austrian Airlines]] have also suspended flights to Irbil, citing the same incident and a subsequent resultant security review as their reasoning for the cessation of the route. Since then, the [[w: Kurdistan Regional Government| Kurdistan Regional Government]], [[w:Erbil International Airport|Erbil International Airport]] and Suleimaniah International Airport have all been in discussions with Austrian Airlines in an attempt to re-launch flights from the airline.

There has only been one confirmed case of a commercial airliner being struck by a missile over Iraq; that of the [[w:2003 Baghdad DHL shootdown incident|2003 Baghdad DHL shootdown incident]], which became famous as the only time a commercial [[w:fixed-wing aircraft|fixed-wing]] airliner has been [[w:Flying a fixed-wing aircraft without control surfaces|successfully landed without any operational control surfaces]].

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.krg.org/articles/detail.asp?rnr=223&lngnr=12&smap=02010100&anr=19874|title=Statement: KRG and Austrian Airlines optimistic flights will resume|author=|pub=Kurdistan Regional Government|date=August 27, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/26/business/EU-FIN-Austrian-Airlines-Iraq.php
|title=Austrian Airlines halts flights to Iraqi city of Irbil, citing security concerns
|author=The Associated Press
|pub=International Herarld Tribune
|date=August 26, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6848873,00.html
|title=Sweden: Rocket Targeted Iraq Flight 
|author=Louise Nordstrom with contruibutions from Yahya Barzanji
|pub=The Guardian
|date=August 14, 2007}}

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[[Category:Aviation]]
[[Category:Sweden]]
[[Category:Iraq]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]] [[Category:Iain Macdonald (Wikinewsie)]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:Middle East]]
[[Category:Kurdistan (Iraq)]]
A file photo of an MD-83 similar to the one involved in the incident 
Sweden has suspended all commercial flights in and out of Iraq amid allegations that an attempt was made to shoot down a Nordic Airways passenger jet.

On August 8 a Nordic Airways McDonnell Douglas MD-83 took off on a flight between Sulaimaniyah, northern Iraq to Stockholm, Sweden, carrying 130 passengers. Shortly after take-off the pilots noticed a trail of light arcing over the aircraft in a fashion similar to that of an incoming missile.

According to a spokesman from the Civil Aviation Authority, the preliminary view is that "some kind of rocket" was fired at the aircraft. However, the director of Sulaimaniyah International Airport, refuted the allegations, saying "the pilot's assumptions were wrong...in fact, the Kurdish hunters are using spotlights at night. We interviewed more than 50 passengers who arrived in Sweden and had been on board and they said nothing happened and they hadn't seen any gunfire."

Sweden's decision to ban services from Iraq affects two airlines, one being Nordic Airways, which operates a weekly service between Sulaimaniyah and Stockholm, and the other being Viking Airlines, which runs a service between Stockholm and Irbil four times a week.

According to the aviation authority, Nordic Airways has rebooked passengers scheduled to fly out of Iraq onto other services out of the country, but 3,000 people booked onto Viking Airlines's route are currently stranded in Iraq.

While flights currently remain suspended, Austrian Airlines have also suspended flights to Irbil, citing the same incident and a subsequent resultant security review as their reasoning for the cessation of the route. Since then, the  Kurdistan Regional Government, Erbil International Airport and Suleimaniah International Airport have all been in discussions with Austrian Airlines in an attempt to re-launch flights from the airline.

There has only been one confirmed case of a commercial airliner being struck by a missile over Iraq; that of the 2003 Baghdad DHL shootdown incident, which became famous as the only time a commercial fixed-wing airliner has been successfully landed without any operational control surfaces.
Aviation Sweden Iraq Politics and conflicts Iain Macdonald (Wikinewsie) Europe Middle East Kurdistan (Iraq)