Flydubai has revealed details surrounding an incident involving flight FZ1073, which was en route from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. The flight was diverted and landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, following an altercation within the cockpit during its journey.
A spokesperson for the airline confirmed that a reserve crew on board managed to regain control of the situation after the dispute. All passengers and crew members are reported to be safe. The pilots, however, were transported to a hospital in Tabuk for medical attention after sustaining injuries during the incident.
The Air Traffic Control center in Tabuk received a distress call from the flight at approximately 8:44 AM. Airport authorities immediately declared a state of emergency and raised their alert levels in preparation for the aircraft's arrival. The Boeing 737 landed at Tabuk Airport at 9:45 AM, roughly an hour after the distress call.
Passengers were attended to in the terminal while arrangements were made for a replacement aircraft to continue their journey. The Tabuk Airport administration later announced that all passengers departed for their final destination on the substitute flight at 5:40 PM, approximately eight hours after the emergency landing.
Flydubai stated that it dispatched two replacement flights to Tabuk, emphasizing its priority to transport passengers and allow them to complete their journey to Tel Aviv. The airline also confirmed that its other operations across its network are proceeding as scheduled.
Regarding the cause of the incident, the airline acknowledged that the full motives and circumstances of the cockpit altercation remain unknown. The incident is currently under official investigation, and the company urged against speculation until authorities have concluded their information gathering and fact-finding process. Relevant Saudi authorities, in coordination with the airline, are continuing their investigation into the circumstances of the event.
