The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday declared the flydubai incident was an “act of terrorism”, a day after it ordered a probe into the matter. The remarks were made Anwar Gargash, who is an adviser to President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
In a post on microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter) in Arabic, Gargash also hailed pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his efforts in averting a tragedy that helped in saving 174 lives. He said Machchhar’s “professionalism and moral sense in the darkest circumstances” has turned him into a hero.
“The Indian pilot at ‘Flydubai,’ Smit Machchhar, deserves all appreciation. In confronting a dangerous terrorist act and a potential disaster, he embodied the true meaning of courage and responsibility. His professionalism and moral sense in the darkest circumstances make him a true hero,” he said.
“Far from simplistic oversimplifications of what happened or adopting and promoting conspiracy theories, vigilance and caution remain necessary in confronting the dangers of extremism and terrorism,” he added.
More to follow…
