DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates Public Prosecution has formed a team to investigate the circumstances and causes of an incident involving flydubai flight FZ1073, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk airport, UAE authorities said on Thursday.
The investigation will examine whether the incident was linked to terrorist activity, prior planning or direction, the UAE said.
Authorities said the UAE had jurisdiction over the investigation because the aircraft is registered in the country and operates under its flag.
The UAE also thanked Saudi authorities for their cooperation and for handling the incident.
بيان| الإمارات تتابع واقعة رحلة "فلاي دبي" المتجهة إلى تل أبيب pic.twitter.com/fUBhwkmKjW
The UAE had had opened an investigation into an incident earlier on Thursday, state news agency WAM reported.
UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi ordered the formation of a team of prosecutors to investigate the incident aboard flight FZ1073, which landed safely at Tabuk airport on Wednesday.
The investigation follows a statement from flydubai that said an altercation took place inside the cockpit during the flight, prompting other crew members aboard the aircraft to intervene and secure it.
Prosecutors have begun investigating in coordination with the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority and other government agencies, WAM reported.
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with the UAE’s president on Wednesday after the violent mid-air incident onbored a Flydubai flight, Israel’s envoy to the UAE confirmed.
Investigation will look into possible terror links
Authorities will seek to determine the circumstances and motives behind the incident, including whether it was linked to terrorism or involved any advance planning or direction.
Al Shamsi urged the public to avoid speculation and the circulation of unverified information while the investigation remains underway. He said information about the incident should be obtained from official sources until authorities have established the facts.
UAE authorities have jurisdiction over the investigation because the aircraft is registered in the country and flies under the UAE flag, meaning UAE criminal law applies to offenses committed on board even when an aircraft is outside the country's territory.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday it was too early to say who was behind the foiled bid to crash a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv but that Israel would “possibly” be participating in the probe into the incident.
“It’s too early to say, the attacking pilot is .. now being investigated in Saudi Arabia. I think he’ll be taken to the Emirates, where he comes from, or at least where he left, where he flew off from, and we’ll be following and possibly also participating in this investigation,” Netanyahu said in an interview to Fox News host Sean Hannity on the network’s “Hannity” program.
Netanyahu’s comment came in response to a question about whether there was any indication of Iranian involvement in the incident.Both Nte DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates has opened an investigation into an incident aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv that forced the aircraft to divert and land in Saudi Arabia, state news agency WAM reported Thursday.
UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi ordered the formation of a team of prosecutors to investigate the incident aboard flight FZ1073, which landed safely at Tabuk airport on Wednesday.
The investigation follows a statement from flydubai that said an altercation took place inside the cockpit during the flight, prompting other crew members aboard the aircraft to intervene and secure it.
Prosecutors have begun investigating in coordination with the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority and other government agencies, WAM reported.
Authorities will seek to determine the circumstances and motives behind the incident, including whether it was linked to terrorism or involved any advance planning or direction.
Al Shamsi urged the public to avoid speculation and the circulation of unverified information while the investigation remains underway. He said information about the incident should be obtained from official sources until authorities have established the facts.
UAE authorities have jurisdiction over the investigation because the aircraft is registered in the country and flies under the UAE flag, meaning UAE criminal law applies to offenses committed on board even when an aircraft is outside the country's territory.
Netanyahu says too early to comment on cause or name names
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday it was too early to say who was behind the foiled bid to crash a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv but that Israel would “possibly” be participating in the probe into the incident.
“It’s too early to say, the attacking pilot is .. now being investigated in Saudi Arabia. I think he’ll be taken to the Emirates, where he comes from, or at least where he left, where he flew off from, and we’ll be following and possibly also participating in this investigation,” Netanyahu said in an interview to Fox News host Sean Hannity on the network’s “Hannity” program.
Netanyahu’s comment came in response to a question about whether there was any indication of Iranian involvement in the incident.
Meanwhile in a post on X early on Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Indian FlyDubai pilot Smit Machchhar, calling him 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 valour helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy,” Modi said.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh said the injured captain, Smit Machchhar, was in a stable condition in a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
