A senior UAE official has described the in-flight attack on Flydubai Flight FZ1073 as a "terrorist act" and praised Indian Captain Smit Machchhar for his actions during the mid-air crisis, according to AFP.
The Dubai-Tel Aviv flight was diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed safely in Tabuk on Wednesday after the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar in the cockpit.
The UAE's comments came as authorities continued investigating the circumstances and motive behind the incident, including whether it involved terrorist activity, prior planning or external direction.
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The UAE Attorney-General has formed a specialised Public Prosecution team to investigate the incident, while Saudi authorities have also launched their own inquiry.
Flight FZ1073, carrying 174 passengers and eight crew members, departed from Dubai International Airport at 03:05 GMT on Wednesday, bound for Tel Aviv. Flight-tracking data shows the Boeing 737 Max 8 began descending from about 34,000 feet at 05:21, dropping to around 16,600 feet within a short period before climbing again.
At 05:24, the aircraft descended further to about 15,000 feet, its lowest recorded altitude during the flight. The aircraft subsequently remained at that altitude as the crew dealt with the emergency.
At 05:28, while flying near the Saudi-Jordanian border, the aircraft transmitted the 7700 emergency code. Seven minutes later, it switched to squawk 7500, the transponder code indicating unlawful interference. The code remained active for nearly an hour.
At about 05:42, the aircraft turned west and briefly entered Jordanian airspace before making a 180-degree turn and heading southwest towards Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. At 06:28, the general emergency code 7700 was transmitted again, replacing the unlawful-interference signal.
The aircraft approached Tabuk Airport at about 06:58 and subsequently made a safe emergency landing.
Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry said an initial investigation found that the captain had been assaulted by his co-pilot, resulting in injuries to both pilots. After being medically cleared, the captain and co-pilot were moved to the UAE with an Emirati security team accompanying them.
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Machchhar, an Indian national, suffered serious injuries and is recovering in hospital. He has since spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his hospital bed, explaining how he managed to open the cockpit door after the attack, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene.
The incident has also prompted praise for the passengers who helped restrain the attacker after the cockpit door was opened. The aircraft was ultimately brought under control and diverted to Tabuk, with everyone on board surviving the incident.
The UAE investigation will examine the circumstances and motives behind the incident, including whether there was any connection to terrorist activity or intent and whether the episode involved prior planning or direction. UAE authorities have urged the public to rely on official statements and avoid circulating unverified information while the investigation remains underway.
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