Dubai-based carrier flydubai has temporarily suspended flights to Tel Aviv at the request of authorities following the cockpit incident aboard, the airline’s chief executive has said.
“At the request of the authorities, we have temporarily suspended operations to Tel Aviv until further notice,” CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said in a statement on Friday carried by the Dubai Media Office.
He said flydubai was assisting passengers affected by the suspension and helping them reach their final destinations.
Al Ghaith also provided an update on flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 when it was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, following a “safety incident in the flight deck”.
He said all 172 passengers and crew were safe and receiving support. The captain, who was injured during the incident, has returned to the UAE after receiving medical clearance.
Al Ghaith praised the pilots “who secured the aircraft and landed it safely”, as well as the cabin crew and passengers who assisted during the incident.
Investigation underway
He thanked Saudi authorities for their “swift and professional response”, as well as UAE authorities and others involved in helping passengers and crew return home.
Flydubai said an “altercation occurred in the flight deck” and that crew members secured the aircraft before diverting it safely to Saudi Arabia.
The airline said a full official investigation was underway and urged patience as authorities establish what happened.
“I know there are many questions about what happened on board FZ1073,” Al Ghaith said, stressing the importance of allowing the investigation to “establish the facts”.
Saudi airport officials said the captain and first officer were injured and taken to hospital following the incident.
UAE authorities said on Thursday that their investigation would examine whether the cockpit altercation was linked to “terrorist activity” or involved prior planning or direction.
