UAE to file complaint over Qatar’s interception of flights
Bahrain releases radar tracks of Qatari jets passing by UAE airliners
Al Suwaidi says he is confident that ICAO could stop Qatar from repeating such incidents.
The UAE will lodge a complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) after Qatari jets intercepted UAE passenger flights, the UAE civil aviation chief said yesterday.
“Today we will file our complaint to the International Civil Aviation Organisation about the two serious incidents, along with the evidence that we’ve gathered, and ask for the intervention of the council to stop Qatar from repeating the act,” Saif Al Suwaidi, head of the General Civil Aviation Authority, told AFP. On Monday Qatari fighter jets intercepted two passenger flights headed for Bahrain.
The UAE is also looking at re-routing flights to Bahrain to avoid Qatari airspace, as tensions escalate between Qatar and its Gulf neighbours over Doha’s links to extremist groups, its relations with Iran, and its attempts to destabilise the region.
“We are now studying changing the route to another one which is very far from Qatar,” Al Suwaidi said.
Bahrain yesterday released radar tracks showing Qatari fighter jets passing by UAE commercial airliners.
In a related development, Yaqoub Yousuf Al Hosani, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said the UAE Permanent Mission to the UN in New York had delivered the country’s response that refutes Qatari allegations concerning the alleged violation of its airspace by a UAE military aircraft.
B ahrain released radar tracks yesterday showing Qatari fighter jets passing by UAE commercial airliners on their way to the island nation.
Bahrain state television aired radar footage the broadcaster described as showing a flight from Dubai toward Bahrain International Airport at 3,170 metres (10,400 feet). Two other radar signals the broadcaster described as Qatari fighter jets flew at 2,590 metres (8,500 feet) in front of the flight. The radar screen briefly flashes orange text, likely a collision warning.
The broadcaster also aired footage of an aeronautical chart it said showed a Qatari fighter jet flying across the flight path of a just-passed UAE airliner, both at 2,400 metres (8,000 feet).
Both flights flew in international waters just north of the tip of Qatar.
In a related development, the UAE has given its response to the United Nations refuting allegations by Qatar that UAE military aircraft violated Qatari airspace.
UAE complaint
The UAE will lodge a complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organisation after Qatari jets came within little more than three kilometres of UAE passenger flights, the UAE civil aviation chief said yesterday.
“Today we will file our complaint to the International Civil Aviation Organisation about the two serious incidents, along with the evidence that we’ve gathered, and ask for the intervention of the council to stop Qatar from repeating the act,” Saif Al Suwaidi, head of the General Civil Aviation Authority, told AFP.
On Monday Qatari fighter jets intercepted two passenger flights headed for Bahrain. The UAE is also looking at re-routing flights to Bahrain to avoid Qatari airspace, as a feud between Qatar and its Gulf neighbours over Doha’s links to extremist groups, its relations with Iran and its attempts to destabilise the region escalates. “We are now studying changing the route to another one which is very far from Qatar,” Al Suwaidi said.
“However that will take some time as we have to reach an agreement with Bahrain.”
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the interception by Qatari fighter jets, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Response at UN
In a related development, Yaqoub Yousuf Al Hosani, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said the UAE Permanent Mission to the UN in New York had delivered the country’s response that refutes Qatari allegations contained in a memorandum to the UN Security Council concerning the alleged violation of its airspace by a UAE military aircraft.
In a statement, the Ministry condemned in the strongest terms Qatar’s usual tactic of escalating tensions. The Ministry reiterated that the military aircraft was flying outside Qatari airspace.