Flydubai emergency landing in Tabuk investigated by Saudi and UAE

An emergency landing in Tabuk after a mid-flight cockpit disturbance on Flydubai Flight FZ1073 prompted joint investigations by Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The incident began on Wednesday morning when Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport received an unexpected distress call at 8:44 a.m., according to airport records. The aircraft landed safely about an hour later at 9:45 a.m. after altercations inside the cockpit escalated to the point that off-duty crew members intervened to restore order and secure the flight deck. Both the captain and co-pilot were injured and transported to hospital, while passengers stayed safe but faced delays until a replacement aircraft arrived. Saudi’s National Transport Safety Center collected evidence, while the UAE Attorney General Dr. Hamad Al-Shamsi led prosecutors, with investigators examining possible planning, outside direction, or terrorist links.