Anwar Gargash, a senior adviser to United Arab Emirates leader Mohammed bin Zayed, issued a statement praising Samit Mohasar, the Indian pilot who managed to repel the hijacker and open the cockpit doors before collapsing from exhaustion, and officially defined the incident as an attempted terror attack.
The statement marks the first time a senior UAE official has publicly characterized the Flydubai hijacking attempt as terrorism. Gargash's remarks, posted on social media, commended the pilot's quick thinking and courage in preventing what could have been a catastrophic outcome.
The UAE has maintained close security cooperation with Israel since the Abraham Accords, and the official terror designation is expected to trigger enhanced security protocols on flights operating between the two countries and throughout the region.
