Jewish Teens Removed from Flight by Pilot with 9/11 Connection

A group of 52 Jewish teenagers was removed from a Vueling Airlines flight from Valencia to Paris this week after reportedly singing Hebrew songs before takeoff, prompting accusations of antisemitism and revelations about the pilot’s controversial past.

Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, Amichai Shikli, identified the captain as Iván Chirivella, a Canary Islands native who trained two of the terrorists behind the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, including ringleader Mohamed Atta.

Shikli, in a series of tweets, described the incident as a “severe antisemitic” event, stating, “There are growing indications that Iván Chirivella – a captain at Vueling who trained two of the 9/11 hijackers – was likely the pilot who ordered the removal of Jewish children from the flight.” He noted that Chirivella, a senior instructor at an independent flight school, was confirmed by Vueling as the captain involved.

According to a report by *Enfoque Judío*, the teenagers, part of a group traveling from Manises Airport, were instructed to stop singing, remain silent, and remove “visible religious symbols” before the flight could depart. Vueling issued a statement defending its crew, asserting that the group’s “highly disruptive attitude” posed a risk to the flight’s safe operation and that passenger safety was the sole factor in the decision.

Shikli’s disclosure of Chirivella’s history as a flight instructor for two 9/11 hijackers has intensified scrutiny, raising questions about the motivations behind the removal of the Jewish teens.