UAE says civilian plane intercepted by Qatari jets

By Ahmed al-Masri

DOHA (AA) – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said Monday a civilian aircraft was intercepted by Qatari fighter jets, according to the official WAM news agency.

The plane was on a regular flight path to Bahrain capital Manama when it was intercepted by Qatari fighter-planes, the UAE General Authority of Civilian Aviation (GCAA) said in a statement.

It described the interception as “a flagrant and serious threat to the safety of civil aviation and a clear violation of international laws and conventions."

GCAA said the flight was a regular, scheduled service on a known flight-path that met all the required and internationally recognized approvals and permits.

"The United Arab Emirates rejects this threat to the safety of air traffic and will take all the necessary legal measures to ensure the safety and security of civil aviation," it said.

There was no comment from Qatar on the UAE claim.

Last week, Qatar said it has filed a complaint to the UN about an alleged violation of its airspace by a UAE military aircraft, a claim denied by Abu Dhabi.

The UAE is a member of a Saudi-led bloc that imposed a blockade on Qatar last year for allegedly supporting terrorism.

Qatar, for its part, has denied the accusations, describing the attempts to isolate it as a breach of international law.