Aden — Security authorities at Aden International Airport announced today the arrest of Captain Mohammed Abbas Al-Mutawakkil while he was attempting to travel to Cairo, after it was confirmed that he had been involved in hijacking a Yemeni Airlines civilian aircraft last year.

According to security sources, the incident dates back to Yemenia Flight IY647, which took off on May 12, 2025, from Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan, bound for Aden International Airport. However, the pilot forcibly diverted the aircraft toward Sanaa Airport, which is under the control of the Houthi militia, acting under direct orders from Houthi leaders.

The sources added that the arrest was made after a careful security investigation, noting that the suspect will be referred to the competent authorities for interrogation and legal proceedings.

This incident is considered one of the most serious violations of civil aviation attributed to the Houthi group, which has been accused of using Yemenia Airways for smuggling operations and other unlawful activities, endangering civilian air safety and violating international aviation regulations.