Saudi Interior Ministry clarifies details of Flydubai's emergency landing in Tabuk - Sarmad
Saudi Interior Ministry confirms Flydubai plane landed safely in Tabuk after co-pilot attacked captain; both hospitalized then transferred to Abu Dhabi
Translated by Qiyas from سرمد — Original source
(KUNA) – A senior source at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior stated on Thursday that the relevant authorities initiated the necessary procedures to handle the emergency declared on Flydubai flight FZ1073, granting it permission to make an emergency landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk on Wednesday.
In a statement, the source said the plane landed safely at 9:45 a.m. with 174 passengers and a crew of eight. All received the necessary medical care, while all passengers continued their journey on a replacement Flydubai flight at 5:05 p.m. The crew returned to Dubai on another aircraft, except for the captain and his co-pilot, who were taken to a hospital for treatment based on a medical assessment of their condition.
He added that preliminary investigations conducted by Saudi authorities, with the participation of a security team from the United Arab Emirates, indicated that the co-pilot had assaulted the captain, resulting in various injuries to both.
The source clarified that the captain and co-pilot departed Saudi Arabia for Abu Dhabi on Thursday morning after their health improved and they were cleared by the medical team, accompanied by the UAE security team.
He emphasized that Saudi Arabia handles emergencies in accordance with its international and humanitarian obligations, as well as the regulations and procedures adopted by the relevant authorities, to ensure the safety and security of air navigation, and the readiness of the aviation and security systems to respond swiftly and effectively to exceptional situations.
