Qatar jets harass UAE civilian plane

FIGHTER AIRCRAFT CAME DANGEROUSLY CLOSE, JEOPARDISING PASSENGERS’ LIVES

Qatar fighter jets dangerously approached a UAE civilian aircraft flying from Dammam to Abu Dhabi yesterday.

The aircraft was carrying 86 passengers while crossing Bahraini air space and was following a scheduled flight path.

The aircraft had adhered to necessary approvals and international permits, said a UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) statement carried by WAM.

“The Qatar fighter jets followed and approached the [UAE civilian] aircraft, reducing the horizontal distance to less than two miles and vertical separation to 700 feet, leaving just a few seconds before a possible collision of the aircraft. It was a dangerous approach endangering the lives of passengers,” the statement said.

The GCAA said that it will file a complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

It also stated that threatening the safety and well-being of civilian travellers in any way is completely unacceptable. The Qatari fighter jets left just a few seconds for the captain to manoeuvre away to avoid being hit.

In January this year, Qatari fighter jets intercepted two UAE passenger flights headed for Bahrain.

At that time, the UAE civil aviation authority condemned the “provocative action” and filed a complaint with the ICAO.