Vueling Pilot Expels 50 Jewish Children, Trained 9/11 Hijackers

A group of around 50 Jewish children and teenagers were removed from a Vueling Airlines flight from Valencia to Paris after reportedly disrupting the plane's safety equipment, according to the airline. The pilot who ordered their removal, Iván Chirivella, has come under scrutiny as he had previously trained two of the 9/11 hijackers, including Mohamed Atta, at an independent flight school. Vueling and the Guardia Civil denied that the removal was related to antisemitism, emphasizing that safety concerns due to the children's behavior were the cause. Israel's Minister of Diaspora Affairs condemned the incident as antisemitic, noting Chirivella's controversial past. The children were said to be singing Hebrew songs and wearing Jewish symbols, which the flight crew asked them to stop, leading to police intervention when they did not comply. The incident has raised broader questions about the pilot's continued role in aviation given his history and the treatment of the children onboard.