{
  "id": 14352097,
  "title": "NIA to seek Centre’s nod to travel to UAE for Captain Smit Machchhar's statement in flydubai probe",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/nia-to-seek-centres-nod-to-travel-to-uae-for-captain-smit-machchhars",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-14T02:37:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times",
    "slug": "hindustan-times",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/nia-to-seek-centre-nod-to-send-team-to-uae-for-flydubai-hijack-attempt-probe-101791945039258.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The National Investigation Agency (NIA) plans to seek permission from the Centre to travel to the UAE for the purpose of obtaining a statement from Indian pilot Smit Machchhar and to interact with local investigators regarding the hijacking attempt on Flydubai flight FZ-1073. The agency may also request access to the arrested Omani co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, for questioning. Machchhar, an Indian citizen, was attacked by al-Hammami during the incident, which took place on September 30. Despite sustaining injuries, Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker and force the plane to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The NIA has invoked provisions of the Anti-Hijacking Act, 2016 and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the case, citing the \"larger conspiracy\" and the \"serious national and international ramifications\" of the incident.",
  "summary": "The agency may also seek access to the arrested Omani co-pilot – Hamam al-Hammami – for questioning, the officials said.",
  "key_points": [
    "NIA seeks Centre’s approval to travel to UAE for Captain Machchhar’s statement.",
    "NIA may question arrested Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami.",
    "Incident involved hijacking attempt on Flydubai flight FZ-1073 on September 30."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Seeking international cooperation to interview the pilot and the detained co-pilot signals the agency's intent to investigate whether the hijacking attempt was part of a broader coordinated conspiracy.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}