Four Security Learnings from the Lockerby Bombing

On 1988 December 21st, PAN AM flight to New York from Heathrow blasted in the high skies of Lockerby, Scotland killing 270 people. Though there were a lot of political issues and a lot of conspiracy theories behind this incident, let us discuss the learning of this unfortunate incident with the focus on Security concepts. 

According to the official investigation, the bomb was passed to the aeroplane from Malta. This bomb planted luggage was passed to counters just before the closing of the aeroplane gate. Since there is a lack of time to check, airport officials have ignored the security protocols.

#Learning 1: Your customers might be pushing you to ignore the security policies citing the business needs. However, security should come first.

Next, the bomb was transferred to an aeroplane in Frankfurt. Since this is a plastic bomb, you need a colour monitor was required to detect. The colour monitor was not in operation for many days and the bomb was passed through the Frankfurt airport safely. 

#Learning 2: Many security implementations are initiated but not maintained. 

Finally, at the Heathrow airport, all luggages from Frankfurt were not checked as Heathrow official assumed that these luggages were well checked at the Frankfurt. This was done to avoid plane delayed considering there were a large number of passengers during the Christmas season. So the planted bomb passed into the third plane dispute there were warnings before. 

#Learning 3: Security should be placed in higher priority than other business needs. 

#Learning 4: When multiple security implementations are inplaced, they should be independent of others. One security implementation should not depend on others.

All these security lapses accounted for 270 lives including 11 people who were the citizens of Lockerby who had nothing do with the said plane. These lives could have saved if the basic concepts of security met during the entire journey of the plane.