Saudi Arabia to investigate flydubai cockpit stabbing as UAE pursues criminal probe

Saudi Arabia has begun an air safety investigation into a flydubai flight after the recent cockpit attack by the co-pilot last week, according to three people familiar with the matter. The investigation concerns flight FZ1073, which was travelling towards Israel on September 30 when the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with an axe while the Boeing 737 MAX was in Saudi Arabian airspace.

The incident resulted in the aircraft making a steep plunge before it recovered. All 172 people on board survived, with nearly all passengers being Israeli citizens.

Also read: Indian pilot Smit Machchhar recovering after flydubai cockpit attack, embassy says


The Saudi investigation is separate from a criminal investigation already opened by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE prosecutor general has described the incident as a "terrorist attack".

Safety investigations are generally conducted after aviation accidents to identify technical and operational lessons and improve future flight safety. However, they are not automatically required when an incident is believed to have resulted from deliberate action.

People familiar with the matter said Saudi Arabia had notified specialist aviation agencies in other countries that it would conduct a safety investigation under international aviation rules. It remains unclear whether Saudi investigators will eventually publish their findings.

Saudi Arabia's National Transport Safety Center, which is responsible for accident investigations, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Saudi government and aviation regulator also did not respond.

Also read: Flydubai attack was a ‘terrorist act’, UAE official says; praises captain Smit Machchhar for saving flight

The United States is expected to have a role in the investigation because the aircraft involved was a Boeing 737 MAX manufactured in the US. The US National Transportation Safety Board has confirmed that it has assigned a representative to the investigation.

The UAE would also be involved under international aviation rules because the aircraft is registered in the country and flydubai is based in Dubai.

Israel has offered to participate in any Saudi-led safety investigation. Ofer Vaknin, director of the Aircraft Safety Investigation Authority, said Israel had not been invited so far. He added that Israel may not need to participate because the incident was not an operational or aircraft safety issue.

The investigation could test international cooperation under Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation framework. The system allows countries to work together on aviation safety investigations, with the focus generally placed on identifying the causes of an incident and preventing similar occurrences rather than assigning blame.

Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have diplomatic relations, but aviation safety investigations have historically allowed technical cooperation across political differences. Experts have also pointed to growing tensions between civil aviation safety investigations and criminal investigations over access to evidence. Safety officials say that even when deliberate action is suspected, investigations can identify lessons related to areas such as cockpit security and crew recruitment.

For Indian passengers travelling through the Gulf or connecting to destinations in Europe and the Middle East, the investigation is relevant mainly for any safety recommendations or changes that could emerge from the incident.