Photo: Collected
After a clash between pilots inside the cockpit of a Flydubai aircraft, the airline has temporarily suspended all flights to and from Israel. The decision has come as Saudi Arabia begins an investigation to uncover the real cause of the incident.
Last Wednesday, Flydubai flight FZ1073, bound from Dubai for Tel Aviv with 174 passengers, made an emergency landing at Tabuk in Saudi Arabia after a clash in the cockpit. The airline said there had been an ‘altercation’ in the cockpit; the crew later brought the plane safely under control and landed it.
The Saudi airport authorities said both the plane’s captain and first officer were injured in the incident and were taken to hospital. However, all passengers and crew were safe.
A day after the incident, Iran’s state media outlet Press TV claimed the incident could be part of an alleged ‘false flag’ plan to blame Iran and drag the United States into a new war. Citing an unnamed regional source, it claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had finalised such a plan with officials of several Arab countries during a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates.
However, Press TV gave no evidence in support of these claims. Israel, the UAE and the United States also made no immediate comment. The determination of the real cause of the incident now awaits the investigation by Saudi Arabia’s National Transport Safety Center.
