World · India Bureau
UAE detains two Maldivian pilots in flydubai hijacking investigation
Emirati authorities have arrested two Maldivian pilots employed by flydubai as part of an expanding investigation into an alleged hijacking attempt on a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight. Indian Captain Smit Machchhar sustained injuries while intervening to prevent the suspected attack by an Omani co-pilot.
LSN India ·
The two Maldivian nationals were taken into custody on October 3, with their families formally notified of the detention through the Maldivian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates, according to Maldivian media reports. However, Maldivian authorities have issued no official statement regarding the circumstances of their arrest or involvement in the incident.
The detention follows a September 30 incident aboard a flydubai aircraft in which co-pilot Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, allegedly attempted to attack the aircraft's pilot. Captain Machchhar, the Indian flight captain, reportedly sustained injuries while intervening to foil the suspected hijacking plot.
UAE authorities have not yet released official details concerning the allegations against the detained Maldivian nationals or the broader status of their investigation. The widening scope of arrests suggests investigators are examining whether additional crew members may have been involved in or possessed prior knowledge of the attempted incident.
The incident has raised significant questions about security protocols aboard commercial aircraft operating in the Middle East, though both Maldivian and UAE authorities have maintained limited public disclosure regarding the ongoing investigation.