Saudi Arabia Investigates Pilot Assault on Flydubai Flight
Translated & summarized from Panet by baba
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Co-pilot allegedly assaulted captain on Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv.
- Flight made emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- Both pilots sustained injuries and were hospitalized.
- Saudi Arabia and UAE are jointly investigating the incident.
- Passengers continued their journey on a replacement aircraft.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior announced that initial investigations suggest the co-pilot of a Flydubai flight assaulted the captain during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. The incident forced the aircraft, flight FZ073, to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
According to a Saudi official, the plane landed safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport at 9:45 AM with 174 passengers and 8 crew members. Necessary care was provided to those on board. Later that evening, at 5:40 PM, passengers departed for Dubai on a replacement aircraft. The flight crew also returned to Dubai on another plane, except for the captain and co-pilot, who were hospitalized for treatment following medical assessments.
The preliminary investigation, conducted by Saudi authorities with participation from a UAE security team, indicated that the co-pilot attacked the captain, resulting in injuries for both. This marks Saudi Arabia's first official comment on the incident.
The official stated that the Kingdom handles emergency situations in accordance with international and humanitarian commitments and relevant regulations to ensure aviation safety and security. The captain and co-pilot were later permitted to travel to Abu Dhabi on Thursday morning after medical clearance.
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