The UAE Public Prosecutor Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi ordered the formation of an investigation team from specialized Public Prosecution members to examine the incident involving flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026. The team will gather information and evidence while establishing the facts, circumstances, details and motives surrounding the event that led to the aircraft’s diversion and safe landing at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia. According to a report by the state news agency WAM, the Public Prosecutor has specifically instructed the team to determine whether the incident was linked to any terrorist activity or purpose or involved any prior planning or direction. UAE judicial authorities hold jurisdiction over the matter because the aircraft is registered in the UAE and flies under its flag, which means national law applies to crimes committed on board even outside the country’s territory.
The General Civil Aviation Authority had previously described the event as a security incident that required diverting the Boeing 737 and making an emergency landing, with some crew members sustaining injuries and receiving hospital treatment in Saudi Arabia. Flydubai stated that the underlying reasons and motives behind the altercation in the flight deck remain unknown pending the formal investigation, urging all parties to avoid premature speculation. The carrier later announced a temporary suspension of its flights to and from Israel in coordination with relevant authorities to facilitate the ongoing probe.
WAM reported that the investigation team has already begun its work in coordination with the General Civil Aviation Authority and other concerned state entities. The Public Prosecutor called on the public to refrain from circulating unverified information or anticipating the investigation’s outcomes while relying solely on official statements for updates. Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had engaged in discussions with UAE counterparts about flight security following the event, according to multiple regional reports.
The flight had departed Dubai International Airport on the morning of September 30 before the cockpit dispute prompted an emergency squawk code indicating unlawful interference. Saudi Arabia’s National Transport Safety Center also initiated its own aviation safety investigation upon the aircraft’s landing at Tabuk to collect evidence and establish circumstances. Data from aviation tracking sources indicated a rapid descent occurred during the incident before the situation was brought under control by crew and passengers.
Investigators from the UAE are working with regional partners as the probe examines operational, security and human factors that contributed to the diversion. The Public Prosecutor’s office emphasized that the judicial process will proceed according to applicable legislation without external interference. Additional details on crew nationalities or specific passenger accounts have not been released in official statements to date.
Flydubai operates as a low-cost carrier based in Dubai with an extensive regional network that includes routes to Israel established after the normalization of relations. The suspension of services is described as temporary and subject to review as more information emerges from the authorities. The incident marks a significant security event for UAE-registered commercial aviation in recent years.
