Flydubai hijack scare: NIA to seek Centre's nod for UAE visit to probe Flydubai case

Two Maldivian pilots employed by FlyDubai have reportedly been arrested by UAE authorities. This comes in connection with the alleged hijacking attempt of FlyDubai flight to Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, National Investigation Agency is preparing to seek the center's permission to send a team to the UAE for further probe. According to officials, the NIA plans to approach the center for approval to send a team to the UAE. This team will seek to record Captain Smith Machar's statement and interact with UAE investigators to obtain details of their findings. The agency may also seek access to the arrested Omani co-pilot, Hamam Al Hamami, for questioning. They and I registered a case last week citing the attack on an Indian national and the need to uncover a possible larger conspiracy. The case also brings the Anti-Hijacking Act 2016 into focus, which provides the legal framework for prosecuting aircraft hijacking offences. This has been invoked by NIA as well. As it provides India the jurisdiction as an Indian national is involved in the matter. In the FIR, the agency referred to the alleged attempt to hijack or crash the aircraft, citing the gravity of the offence and its national and international implications. In a parallel development, two Maldivian pilots working for FlyDubai, they have reportedly been taken in custody by UAE police. According to Maldivian news portal Adhadu, the two were taken into custody on October 3 and later their families were informed by the Maldivian embassy in the UAE. The reporter also said Maldives authorities had declined to comment on the detentions. According to the capital-based newspaper Miharu, the two pilots had interacted with Al-Hammami at work and were believed to have lived in the same building as him. Another Maldivian news portal, Edition.mv, it reported that the two were among six Maldivian pilots employed by FlyDubai and were allegedly among the airline's latest recruits from the Maldives. Adhadu has also reported, citing some sources, that the two Maldivian pilots met Hammami at a corporate event. Remember, this latest reported arrest comes as UAE officials widened their scope of investigation into the September 30 incident, where the Omani co-pilot, Hamam al-Hamami, allegedly attempted to hijack and even crash the flight.