DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates said on Sunday that Qatari fighter planes had intercepted a civilian aircraft carrying 86 passengers aboard a flight bound for Bahrain, UAE state news agency WAM reported.

According to the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, GCAA, the civilian aircraft was on a scheduled flight “after obtaining all the necessary approvals as per the international regulations, procedures and agreements.”

In a statement issued through WAM, the GCAA said the Qatari fighter jets flew “very close” to the Emirati aircraft, less than 700 feet, “leaving just a few seconds for the captain to maneuver his way away to avoid being hit, thus jeopardizing the safety of travelers onboard."

The GCAA has further stated that threatening the safety and well-being of civilian travelers in any way is a “completely unacceptable act,” and it will file a case with the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, against this aggression.

The airliner involved has not been identified.



“Qatari jets chased the UAE passenger plane and came close to it leaving just seconds before collision... a very dangerous and unsafe approach which endangered the lives of passengers,” the authority said in a statement cited by news agency WAM.

Bahrain’s civil aviation agency said in a statement cited by news agency NBA that the Airbus 320 was travelling from Dammam in eastern Saudi Arabia to UAE capital Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi’s airport is the main hub for Etihad Airways – however neither Etihad nor Emirates airlines were prepared to comment.

Sunday’s incident is not the first time the UAE has accused Qatar’s military of intercepting its civilian aircraft.

In January this year two Qatari jets flew dangerously close to two civilian aircraft traveling from the UAE while they were in Bahraini airspace, the Emirates civil aviation authority.

According to state news agency WAM the General Civil Aviation Authority condemned “provocative action,” at the time, which it said followed two similar incidents that had been reported by the UAE to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations’ aviation agency.

Qatar denied the claim in a statement by its civil aviation authority saying the UAE was trying to cover up for its own violations of Qatari airspace.

(With Reuters and AFP)</s>The United Arab Emirates has stated that Qatar's fighter jets had intercepted a civilian plane heading for Bahrain with 86 passengers aboard, according to the media.

The WAM added that the UAE civilian aircraft had to manoeuvre to avoid a collision.

READ MORE: UAE Military Says Jets to Alter Routes Over S Arabia To Avoid Qatari Warplanes

This is not the first case, as similar incidents have occurred earlier. In March, the UAE aviation authority reported about two Qatari jets coming dangerously close to two civilian aircraft from the Emirates. In January, according to the United Arab Emirates, Qatari jets had twice intercepted Emirati civilian aircraft; however, Doha refuted the allegations.

The relations between Qatar and several other regional states deteriorated significantly in June 2017, when Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and a number of other countries severed diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of sponsorship of terrorism and undermining regional stability.</s>DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates said on Sunday that Qatari fighter planes had intercepted a civilian aircraft carrying 86 passengers aboard a flight bound for Bahrain, UAE state news agency WAM reported.

The agency added that the Emirati civilian craft had to take evasive manoeuvres to avoid a collision.</s>DUBAI, April 22 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates said on Sunday that Qatari fighter planes had intercepted a civilian aircraft carrying 86 passengers aboard a flight bound for Bahrain, UAE state news agency WAM reported.

The agency added that the Emirati civilian craft had to take evasive manoeuvres to avoid a collision. (Reporting by Noah Browning Editing by Edmund Blair)</s>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The United Arab Emirates again has accused Qatari military fighter jets of coming dangerously close to an Emirati commercial airliner landing in Bahrain. Qatar did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority said the alleged incident happened Sunday morning with a flight carrying 86 passengers.

The UAE alleged that “Qatari fighter jets flew very close to the Emirati aircraft, less than 700 feet (210 metres), leaving just a few seconds to the captain to manoeuvr.”

The Dubai-based newspaper Gulf News identified the affected flight as Emirates flight No. EK837. Emirates declined to comment.

This marks just the latest allegations between Qatar and the UAE over their flights and airspace being harassed by the other since a diplomatic crisis between them began in June.</s>The United Arab Emirates said Qatari fighter planes intercepted a civilian aircraft carrying 86 passengers to Bahrain on Sunday, UAE state news agency WAM reported.

Quoting its civil aviation authority, the agency said the UAE civilian craft had to take evasive manoeuvres to avoid a collision. It did not name the airliner involved.

Both countries have accused each other of a series of mid-air incidents since Abu Dhabi and other powers imposed travel, diplomatic and trade sanctions on Qatar in June.

The UAE, along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, accuse Qatar of supporting regional foe Iran as well as Islamist extremists. Qatar has denied the charge and accused the four countries of trying to curtail its sovereignty.

There was no immediate comment by Qatari officials on the accusation.</s>UAE says Qatari jets came too close to passenger flight

The United Arab Emirates said on Sunday that Qatari fighter jets narrowly avoided a UAE passenger flight over neighbouring Bahrain, the latest in a series of such claims.

The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority said the incident took place at midday Sunday and the captain of the flight with 86 passengers onboard had “to make a quick manoeuvre to avoid collision”.

“Qatari jets chased the UAE passenger plane and came close to it leaving just seconds before collision… a very dangerous and unsafe approach which endangered the lives of passengers,” the authority said in a statement cited by news agency WAM.

It said the UAE would be filing a complaint to the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Bahrain’s civil aviation agency said in a statement cited by news agency NBA that the Airbus 320 was travelling from Dammam in eastern Saudi Arabia to UAE capital Abu Dhabi.

The UAE and Qatar have in the past few months regularly accused each other of airspace violations.

Qatar — under boycott by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt over alleged support for Islamist extremist groups and ties with Iran — is banned from using its rivals’ airspace.

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This post was syndicated from The Guardian Nigeria Newspaper – Nigeria and World News. Click here to read the full text on the original website.</s>The United Arab Emirates said on Sunday that Qatari fighter jets narrowly avoided a UAE passenger flight over neighbouring Bahrain, the latest in a series of such claims.

The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority said the incident took place at midday Sunday and the captain of the flight with 86 passengers onboard had “to make a quick manoeuvre to avoid collision”.

“Qatari jets chased the UAE passenger plane and came close to it leaving just seconds before collision… a very dangerous and unsafe approach which endangered the lives of passengers,” the authority said in a statement cited by news agency WAM.

It said the UAE would be filing a complaint to the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Bahrain’s civil aviation agency said in a statement cited by news agency NBA that the Airbus 320 was travelling from Dammam in eastern Saudi Arabia to UAE capital Abu Dhabi.

The UAE and Qatar have in the past few months regularly accused each other of airspace violations.

Qatar — under boycott by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt over alleged support for Islamist extremist groups and ties with Iran — is banned from using its rivals’ airspace.</s>UAE accuses Qatar fighter jets of flying near passenger plane landing in Bahrain

The United Arab Emirates has again accused Qatari military fighter jets of coming dangerously close to an Emirati commercial airliner landing in Bahrain.

The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority said the alleged incident happened on Sunday morning with a flight carrying 86 passengers.

The UAE alleged that "Qatari fighter jets flew very close to the Emirati aircraft, less than 700 feet (210 metres), leaving just a few seconds to the captain to manoeuvre".

Qatar did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Dubai-based newspaper Gulf News identified the affected flight as Emirates flight EK837. Emirates declined to comment.

This marks just the latest allegations between Qatar and the UAE over their flights and airspace being harassed by the other since a diplomatic crisis between them began in June.

The UAE, along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, accuse Qatar of supporting regional foe Iran as well as Islamist extremists.

Qatar has denied the charge and accused the four countries of trying to curtail its sovereignty.</s>DUBAI (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates on Friday welcomed Qatar's decision to amend its anti-terrorism laws, in one of the first positive signs from the UAE and three other Arab countries since they imposed sanctions on Doha last month.

In a move to counter their accusations of supporting terrorism, which it denies, Qatar has set rules for defining terrorism, freezing funding and terrorism financing and established national terrorism lists.

 "The Qatari decree to amend the anti-terrorism law is a positive step to deal seriously with the 59 terrorists," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said on Twitter.

 Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain designated dozens of people with alleged links to Qatar as terrorists, including Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader Yousef al-Qaradawi, and 12 entities, among them Qatari-funded charities.

 "The pressure of the crisis has started to bear fruits, and the wiser course would be changing the whole orientation," Gargash added.

 Gargash also said the countries’ concerns about Qatar’s relationship with Iran had eased since Kuwait ordered the expulsion of the Iranian ambassador and 14 other diplomats for alleged links to a "spy and terror" cell on Thursday. 

 The four countries led a diplomatic and economic campaign to pressure and isolate the small Gulf state, which is a critical global supplier of gas and hosts the biggest U.S. military base in the Middle East. 

 Last week, Qatar signed an accord with the United States on working together to fight terrorism financing. Details have not been released but sources said it provides for the United States to post officials at Qatar's state prosecutor's office.

 

 (Reporting by Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
The United Arab Emirates says Qatari jet fighters intercepted a passenger plane heading to Bahrain and flew dangerously close to it.