LOC21:54
18:54 GMT
JEDDAH, July 30 (KUNA) -- Civil aviation authorities in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt provided nine emergency air corridors to be used by Qatar airlines as of August 1, the Saudi Arabia's Civil Aviation Authority announced Sunday.
"This measure affirms our commitment in safety of international air navigation, the authority said in a statement, issued following a meeting of foreign ministers of the four countries in Manama, Bahrain.
One corridor will be in international airspace over the Mediterranean to be operated by the Egyptian civil aviation company.
The remaining corridors would be operated in the Arabian Gulf region, it said.
The provision of emergency air corridors is typical in case of closure of regional airspaces, and the four countries will be offering and managing the emergency corridors over high seas, it said.
This measure, it added, was under the umbrella of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and in compliance with Saudi Arabia's cutting of diplomatic and consular relations with Qatar.
The provision of corridors took place in coordination with neighboring countries, it said. (end)
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