Qatar fighter jets intercept second UAE passenger plane

The National -- Qatari fighter jets "intentionally" intercepted two UAE passenger planes flying to Manama on Monday morning, said the head of the Emirates' General Authority of Civil Aviation.

Saif Al Suweidi said the first interception took place at 10.30am and the second at 11am.

Both planes landed safely in the Bahraini capital and were able to complete their return flights back to the UAE without incident. There were no reported injuries or deaths.

Mr Al Suweidi said both flights were regular services and that Qatar had shown no prior objection to their flight paths.

He did not elaborate on how the jets had intercepted the passenger planes but said the interceptions were carried out in a dangerous manner and had put the lives of innocent civilians in danger.

"We hold Qatar responsible for this intimidation and hope that it doesn't occur again," he said, adding that Qatar's actions went against both international law and aviation law.

A Qatari foreign ministry official, quoted by Al Jazeera, had earlier denied the first interception, Reuters reported.