UAE probes alleged terror plot on Dubai-Tel Aviv flydubai flight, two Maldivian pilots arrested

Two Maldivian pilots employed by flydubai have been arrested by the UAE police in connection with an alleged attempt by an Omani copilot to hijack and crash a DubaiTel Aviv flight in which Indian Captain Smit Machchhar was injured while thwarting the suspected plot as per media reportsThe duo were taken into custody on October 3 with their families being formally informed of their detention by the Maldivian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates Maldivian news portal Adhadhu reportedThe Maldivian authorities have refused to comment on the detention of the two pilots it statedNo official details at this moment have been released by the UAE authorities in reference to the allegations against the detained Maldivian nationals or the status of the investigation into their possible involvementArrests come after UAE authorities expand the investigationThe arrests came after UAE authorities expanded their investigation into the September 30 incident involving flydubai copilot Hammam alHammami an Omani national accused of attacking the flights pilot Machchhar with an axe in an alleged attempt to take control of the aircraft and carry out a terrorist attackAs per the Malebased Mihaaru newspaper the two male pilots are alleged to have interacted with alHammami at their workplace and resided in the same building as himHowever authorities have not officially released the nature of their supposed links to the incident or shared details of the evidence against themThe two are part of the six Maldivian nationals working as pilots for flydubai and are reportedly the airlines latest recruits from the Maldives news portal editionmv reportedThe flight FZ1073 which was carrying 174 passengers and crew members was enroute from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the alleged attack took placeDuring the flight the copilot allegedly stabbed Machchhar in an attempt to hijack and crash the plane Though the pilot was seriously injured in the assault he confronted the attacker and unlocked the cockpit door This allowed crew members and passengers to rush inside overpower the copilot and assist in stabilising the aircraftThe aircraft made an emergency landing at Tabuk airport in Saudi ArabiaThe UAE has framed the incident as an attempted terrorist attack and identified the accused copilot as 29yearold alHammamiThe UAE authorities have also stated he was suspected of supporting extremist ideologies and that Omani authorities had previously barred him from obtaining a pilots licenceAn investigation is underway into how alHammami was employed by flydubai despite the reported restriction as well as the motive behind the alleged plotThe UAE Attorney General has said an extensive investigation is being conducted in collaboration with regional security agencies to establish the circumstances of the incident and determine whether the accused had links with other individuals or groupsIndias antiterror National Investigation Agency NIA last week registered a case to look into and unearth the larger conspiracy behind the midair attack on MachchharThe case was registered under the AntiHijacking Act and the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention ActThe Ministry of External Affairs MEA earlier stated that Machchhar was responding well to treatment following an operation at a hospital in Abu DhabiThe Indian Embassy in the UAE is in regular contact with Machchhars family doctors hospital officials and local authorities to monitor his conditionWith Inputs from PTI