ع
UAE Attorney General Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi has directed a specialist Public Prosecution team to investigate the mid-flight incident on flydubai flight FZ1073 which diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia after a cockpit altercation on September 30. The probe will determine whether the event involved any terrorist activity or purpose prior planning or external direction a report from the state news agency WAM stated. Dr Al Shamsi urged the media and public to refrain from speculating on the cause while authorities complete their fact-finding process. The investigation is proceeding in coordination with the General Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant UAE bodies.
The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv experienced a rapid descent of more than 14,000 feet before the crew regained control and diverted the Boeing 737 to Saudi Arabia where both pilots received hospital treatment for their injuries. According to The National the attorney general’s move follows initial reporting on the event that contained inaccuracies. Under UAE law crimes committed aboard aircraft registered in the country fall within the jurisdiction of UAE courts regardless of where the incident occurs the report added.
Flydubai described the event as an altercation on the flight deck and said the aircraft was secured by on-duty crew travelling onboard before a safe landing at Tabuk Airport. The airline emphasised that the underlying reasons and motives remain unknown and are subject to formal investigation while calling for an end to premature speculation. All passengers were reported safe and later continued to Tel Aviv on a replacement flight.
Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have characterised the episode as an attempted attack in which one pilot allegedly stabbed the other and tried to crash the plane with passengers and crew intervening to prevent disaster. Defence Minister Israel Katz labelled it an attempted jihadist terror attack according to multiple accounts carried by Reuters and the BBC. Saudi authorities detained the co-pilot identified by Israeli sources as an Omani national and are participating in the inquiry alongside UAE and Israeli partners.
The General Civil Aviation Authority had earlier announced its own investigation into the security incident that forced the diversion and emergency landing. A WAM dispatch on the attorney general’s directive reiterated that the specialist team began work immediately after the order. The attorney general’s office has not released further specifics on the timeline for completing the investigation.
Aviation links between the UAE and Israel have expanded significantly since the 2020 Abraham Accords with flydubai among the carriers operating regular services on the route. The incident has prompted Israeli authorities to tighten checks on pilots flying into the country according to statements reported by Reuters. Industry observers noted that the event highlights ongoing security considerations for commercial flights in a region marked by geopolitical tensions.
