The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is preparing to approach the Union government for official permission to send an investigative team to the United Arab Emirates. The move follows the registration of a formal case regarding a mid-air attack that occurred on September 30 aboard Flydubai flight FZ-1073. According to officials, the agency aims to record the formal statement of the Indian pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar, and coordinate with local UAE investigators who have been examining the incident since it took place.
The flight, which departed from Dubai at 7:05 am Gulf Standard Time, was en route to Tel Aviv when the incident unfolded. Reports indicate that at approximately 9:21 am, while the aircraft was operating near the border of Jordan and Saudi Arabia, an altercation broke out within the cockpit. Passengers and crew members subsequently intervened to overpower the Omani first officer, Hamam al-Hammami, who was allegedly attempting to hijack the aircraft or force a crash. Captain Machchhar sustained deep cuts to his head and hands during the struggle. The aircraft was eventually landed safely by other pilots at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Saudi Arabia, where the first officer was placed under arrest by local authorities.
As part of the ongoing inquiry, the NIA is also expected to seek direct access to the arrested co-pilot for questioning. A government official stated that the investigative process is complex, given that the incident occurred in international airspace and involved foreign soil, necessitating formal coordination between the two nations. The NIA's investigation was initiated on October 9 following a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The FIR registered by the agency cites the gravity of the incident, which involved an apparent attempt to seize control of the aircraft and carry out a terrorist act.
The investigation is currently being pursued under Section 3 of the Anti-Hijacking Act, 2016, and Section 16 read with Section 15(1)(a) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. Furthermore, relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, have been invoked. The agency has formally noted that the case possesses grave national and international ramifications, making it essential to uncover whether a larger conspiracy was behind the cockpit attack.
Preliminary findings from investigations conducted in the UAE have pointed toward an alleged terrorist plot. A statement attributed to UAE Attorney-General Counsellor Dr. Hamad Saif Shamsi suggested that the Omani co-pilot had allegedly planned to crash the aircraft into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv to maximize casualties. Reports from the UAE state news agency, WAM, indicated that the suspect’s background suggested a process of radicalization that may have begun as early as 2017 while he was studying in Australia, where he was allegedly influenced by extremist literature and content glorifying terrorism.
The NIA remains focused on establishing the circumstances surrounding the attack on the Indian national and evaluating the extent of the conspiracy. By visiting the UAE, the agency intends to collect critical findings from local investigators to strengthen its case. As the situation develops, the NIA is expected to continue its outreach to foreign authorities to ensure all aspects of the alleged hijacking attempt are fully documented and processed under the relevant legal frameworks.
Comments