Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior said preliminary investigations by the kingdom’s competent authorities, conducted in coordination with a UAE security team, established that an altercation occurred in the flight deck and that the co-pilot assaulted the captain. Both pilots were injured, the ministry said.
The findings are the clearest official Saudi account so far of the episode aboard the Boeing 737 MAX 8 on Wednesday. They stop short of establishing a motive or detailing precisely how the confrontation began. UAE authorities are conducting a separate investigation into the circumstances and causes of the incident.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Attorney-General Hamad Al Shamsi had ordered a specialised Public Prosecution team to investigate. The inquiry will examine the circumstances and motives, including whether there was any connection to terrorist activity or intent and whether prior planning or direction was involved.
The ministry urged the public to rely on official information and avoid speculation until the investigation is completed. UAE judicial authorities said they have jurisdiction because the aircraft is registered in the country and bears its flag, making UAE law applicable to crimes committed aboard it even outside UAE territory.
Saudi authorities said FZ1073 landed safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk at 9.45am local time on Wednesday. The aircraft was carrying 174 passengers and eight crew members.
The captain and co-pilot were taken to hospital after landing for medical assessment and treatment. After doctors cleared them to travel, both left Saudi Arabia for Abu Dhabi on Thursday accompanied by the UAE security team, according to the Saudi Interior Ministry.
Saudi officials said assistance was provided to all passengers and crew after the diversion. At 5.40pm, the passengers continued their journey on a replacement flydubai aircraft, while other crew members returned to Dubai on a separate airline flight.
Flydubai had earlier confirmed that an altercation occurred in the flight deck and said crew members travelling aboard the aircraft intervened to secure the plane. The airline has not publicly identified the co-pilot or stated a motive for the confrontation.
The captain, Smit Machchhar, is receiving further medical care in the UAE. India’s embassy in the UAE said on Thursday that he was in good health and recovering well after Ambassador Deepak Mittal visited him and his family in hospital. Mittal said Machchhar was in stable condition and good spirits.
Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft losing altitude sharply during the emergency before it was diverted to north-western Saudi Arabia. Authorities have not yet issued a final technical account explaining the aircraft’s movements or assigning responsibility for them.
The Saudi account did not endorse claims made by Israeli officials about the co-pilot’s intentions, and the UAE has said those questions remain under investigation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has alleged that the co-pilot sought to crash the aircraft and said investigators were examining possible ideological motives. Those assertions have not been established in the preliminary Saudi findings.
The aircraft transmitted emergency signals during the incident and descended rapidly before stabilising, according to flight-tracking information. The final sequence of cockpit actions, including who was controlling the aircraft at each stage, has not been formally set out by Saudi or UAE investigators.
Saudi Arabia’s National Transport Safety Center has opened a separate aviation safety investigation. The centre said it dispatched investigators to collect information and evidence and examine the safety aspects of the emergency landing in coordination with other authorities.
The UAE investigation follows flydubai’s account that the cockpit confrontation required intervention by company crew travelling on board. The UAE Foreign Ministry thanked Saudi authorities for their cooperation and handling of the aircraft and its occupants after the diversion.
Follow Arabian Post
Select Arabian Post as your preferred source on Google and MSN News for trusted business news and Arab politics and updates.
