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Fresh questions raised over Cathay Pacific oxygen bottles sabotage as Hong Kong aviation chiefs again demand answers

The Cathay Pacific Group is under increasing scrutiny from regulators after bosses from Hong Kong’s two largest airlines were summoned for a second time over new unexplained cases of oxygen bottle depressurisation. On Thursday, Cathay quickly ruled out crew sabotage in the three new incidents involving breathing equipment for flight attendants. The three events, disclosed over the past two weeks, bring the total number of cases discovered over the past six weeks to 10. Two flight attendants have been fired in one of those cases. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department (CAD) has grown increasingly concerned at the number of reports of alleged sabotage of the oxygen tank emergency equipment, which crew members would use to move around the cabin in the event of an emergency depressurisation. “The CAD expresses concern and disappointment about the occurrence of similar incidents again, and has recalled the management of Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon, requesting the two airlines seriously follow up on the incidents,” the regulator said.<br/>