Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh speaks at the event (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh has calledfor all stakeholders to make a greater effort in addressing incidents that threatenaviation security and safety.

The Deputy PM, who is also Chairman of the National Civil Aviation Security Committee (NCASC) andfirst deputy head of the National Committee for Anti-Terrorism, made the callduring a teleconference in Hanoi on August 25 reviewing the civil aviation securityand safety work over the first seven months and outlining tasks forthe remainder of the year.

He asked the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) to investigate thedirect and indirect causes of all incidents. The Ministry of Transport (MoT)must work with the Ministries of Public Security, National Defence, Finance,and Justice to review laws and policies on ensuring aviation security andsafety and update regulations in line with the rules of the International CivilAviation Organisation (ICAO).

The MoT was also assigned to direct relevant organisations to improve efficiencyin ensuring aviation security and safety and to promptly cope with any and all contingencies.

It was tasked with working with the Ministries of National Defence and PublicSecurity as well as People’s Committees in localities to raise public awarenessabout laws on the use and management of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) thatare likely to threaten civil aviation security and safety.

Meanwhile, the Commission for the Management of State Capital atEnterprises was directed to partner with the MoT and relevant agencies to quicklybring the Vietnam Aviation Security Co. Ltd. into operation.

He also highlighted the need to effectively tackle luggage theft atairports, especially when committed by foreigners, as well as ensure aviationinformation security and safety.

Regarding two projects on the establishment of public security posts atairports and the building of air security forces, he asked the Ministry ofPublic Security to cooperate with the MoT to tackle difficulties and speed up theirprogress.

Airlines must be held responsible for the recruitment and employment ofpilots and crew in important positions, he said, adding that relevant agencies mustensure the progress of the restoration and upgrade of runways at Noi Bai andTan Son Nhat International Airports.

CAAV General Director Dinh Viet Thang, who is also Chief of the NCASC Office,said airports around Vietnam catered to 43 million passengers in the first sevenmonths of this year, down 37.5 percent year-on-year, and handled 690,000 tonnesof cargo, down 21 percent.

Domestic airlines carried 20.7 million passengers and 169,000 tonnes of cargoduring the period, down 36.2 percent and 31.4 percent annually, respectively.Some 80 percent of aircraft capacity is unused.

There were no aviation accidents in the first half of the year, but 123💝compulsory safety rep🌸orts were filed and 31 incidents reported, down 40 percentyear-on-year. Among the incidents, two were at the “serious” level, five at “high”,and 24 at “medium”./.