Saudi Arabia investigates flydubai emergency landing in Tabuk

Saudi Arabia’s National Transport Safety Center (NTSC) has launched an investigation into the emergency landing of a flydubai passenger plane at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk on Wednesday.The NTSC said it received a report concerning flydubai flight FZ1073 and has deployed an aviation safety investigation team to establish the circumstances of the incident and collect evidence.The flydubai flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when it was diverted to Saudi Arabia.In a statement, the airline said an “altercation occurred in the flight deck” and that crew members secured the aircraft before diverting it safely to Saudi Arabia.It said all passengers and crew were safe and accounted for, while the reasons and motives behind the altercation remain under formal investigation.The airport said air traffic control received a distress call from the flight at 8:44 am local time (0544 GMT), requesting an emergency landing.

The captain and first officer were injured and taken to hospital.Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia said that one of the pilots is its national.The aircraft was carrying 174 passengers and reportedly transmitted emergency code 7700, followed by code 7500, which indicates unlawful interference with an aircraft.The airport later said all passengers left Tabuk at 5:40 pm local time aboard an alternative aircraft provided by flydubai.