QATAR JETS FLEW 214M FROM UAE CIVILIAN AIRCRAFT
Airbus airliner and helicopter were approached in international airspace
Qatari fighter jets came within 200 metres of a UAE-registered airliner putting civilian lives in peril, an aviation authority official said yesterday.
The international community has been called on to stop Qatari interference with UAE civilian aircraft, said Ismaeil Al Blooshi, assistant director generation of safety affairs at the General Civil Aviation Authority.
Two Qatari air force fighters forced the passenger jet flying over international waters to rise from 9,750 metres to 10,660m on Monday to avoid a collision, the General Civil Aviation Authority said in Abu Dhabi.
The Qatari fighters were recorded within 214 vertical metres of the aircraft with less than 1,000 metres between them.
“It puts international civil aviation traffic at risk,” Mr Al Blooshi said.
“We are now working with our allies to ensure that these foundational international agreements are upheld and we call on the international community to support this effort.”
The Airbus 320 was flying on the UL768 route to Europe and was within the Bahraini flight information range.
Qatar’s jets were not communicating with the Bahrain air traffic controller, Mr Al Blooshi said. They approached the Airbus from the north and circled behind it from below.
Distance between the two aircraft dropped from 4,260km to 304m in less than three minutes, Mr Al Blooshi said.
The incident took place at 3.33pm local time, 18 nautical miles (33 kilometres) from the Qatari coast.
According to the UN Conventions on the Law of the Sea, every state has the right to territorial sea up to 12 nautical miles from its coast. This extends to airspace.
Also on Monday, a UAE-registered helicopter was approached by Qatari aircraft.
This incident happened at a lower altitude and further details will be obtained from Bahraini officials later, the authority said.
The authority has already filed a formal complaint to the International Civil Aviation Organisation regarding the Qatari interception of two civilian Emirati aircraft on January 15.
“This has to stop,” Mr Al Blooshi said. “This is the fourth UAE civilian aircraft where a similar event has happened and what we’ve seen is that every time the envelop is pushed more.
“Risk to the passengers is pushed higher every time.”
The authority declined to comment on the owner of the airliner or the number of passengers.
Bahrain’s state news agency reported on Monday that the plane’s tail number matched that of an aircraft flown by the rulers of Fujairah.
“These manoeuvres should not come near civilian aircraft,” Mr Al Blooshi said.
“There is a code that fighters, state and military aircraft are required to follow when it comes to civilian aircraft and it’s based on the principles of due regard to the safety of the operation of the aircraft.
“What we want to see is an immediate cease of acts that endanger or compromise the safety of civilians.
“It is not just UAE aircraft that use this airway.
“It’s an international airway used by air traffic from around the world.”
Qatari fighter jets have approached UAE military aircraft on three separate occasions in recent months.
A Qatari jet neared a UAE F-16 on December 27 last year, according to Brig Gen Helal Al Qubaisi of the Armed Forces. He reported that this was followed by two other incidents involving a UAE Twin Otter aircraft and a C-130 cargo plane, on January 3 and January 12.
The UAE has filed a complaint to the UN Security Council president and the UN General Assembly president.
Qatar has said the recent allegations were made to cover up UAE military aircraft breaches of its airspace on December 21 and January 3, the Associated Press reported. Qatar submitted a complaint with the UN about the alleged December 21 violation. Its ministry spokesperson said Qatar planned legal action against the UAE. The UAE denied the allegations.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE cut all ties with Qatar in June last year.