Flydubai co-pilot ‘assaulted’ captain before landing: Initial Saudi probe

Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry says the pilots were returned to the UAE with an Emirati security team.

Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry says that a preliminary investigation into the emergency landing of a Flydubai flight this week found that “the pilot was assaulted by his co-pilot, resulting in various injuries to both”.

the ministry said on Thursday that an initial investigation into the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was conducted by Saudi authorities with the participation of a security team from the United Arab Emirates.

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It was the first comment by the ⁠Saudi government on ⁠the incident.

Flydubai flight FZ1073 was on its way from the UAE to Israel on Wednesday when a violent incident occurred that forced it to make an emergency landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz international airport in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Flydubai said on the day that “an altercation occurred in the flight deck”, and that crew members secured the plane and diverted it safely.

In its statement, the Saudi Interior Ministry said that, after the aircraft was cleared for emergency landing, it arrived “safely” at 9:45am local time (06:45 GMT) with 174 passengers and eight crew members on board. “All necessary care was provided.”

At about 5:40pm that day, all the passengers continued their journey on a replacement Flydubai aircraft, while the rest of the crew – besides the captain and co-pilot – returned to Dubai on another flight, it added.

The captain and co-pilot “were taken to hospital for treatment based on an assessment of their condition”.

After their condition improved and they were medically cleared, the captain and co-pilot left Saudi Arabia for Abu Dhabi on Thursday morning, accompanied by the Emirati security team, the ministry said.

Saudi Arabia “handles emergencies in line with its international and humanitarian obligations”, the ministry added, citing the readiness of its aviation and security systems to respond to exceptional cases.

Saudi Arabia’s National Transport Safety Center said its investigation team had begun work on the incident and was coordinating with authorities to determine the circumstances and collect relevant evidence.

Captain Machchhar showed ‘immense courage’

Earlier on Thursday, the UAE chief prosecutor, Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, launched an investigation into the cockpit fight on board the Flydubai flight.

Investigators will examine the circumstances and motives behind the incident, and whether it was linked to any “terrorist activity or intent” or involved prior planning or direction, Emirati state news agency WAM reported.

The captain of flight FZ1073 is an Indian national, Smit Machchhar, who was seriously injured.

Although the incident is still under investigation, his actions to apparently thwart a midair disaster have drawn praise from world leaders and those who knew him.

Machchhar was taken to hospital in Tabuk in stable condition on Wednesday, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed Machchhar was moved to Abu Dhabi for continued treatment on Thursday. India’s ambassador to the UAE paid a visit to the captain and his family was briefed on his recovery.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called Machchhar a hero.

“In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others. His valor helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy,” Modi wrote on X.