FlyDubai pilots taken to UAE as investigators look for clues

Two FlyDubai pilots involved in an apparent in-cockpit attack were flown to the UAE for further questioning after Saudi investigators began reviewing the flight’s final hour. Saudi Press Agency said both pilots, after receiving medical clearance, departed Saudi Arabia for Abu Dhabi on Thursday, October 1, with the UAE security team. Investigators are seeking clues from the plane’s voice and data recorders, but the article notes the black boxes’ status hasn’t been disclosed; some recorders can overwrite earlier data in a loop, potentially erasing crucial moments. The preliminary Saudi investigation confirmed an altercation with the co-pilot assaulting the captain on a Boeing 737 that made an emergency landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport, injuring both men. Officials differed on the co-pilot’s nationality, and the UAE adviser called the incident a “dangerous terrorist act.”