UAE and Israel launch probes after Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv forced down

An airplane of budget airline Flydubai lands at Israel's Ben Gurion airport on November 26, 2020 on the first scheduled commercial service between the two cities, following the normalisation of ties between the UAE and Israel. Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented on Thursday regarding an incident involving a Flydubai flight carrying Israeli passengers. Via its official account on the X platform, the Ministry stated: “The United Arab Emirates confirmed that it is following up on the incident involving Flydubai flight F21073, traveling from Dubai International Airport to Tel Aviv, which was diverted and landed safely at Tabuk Airport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained in a statement that the Attorney General of the Federation, Hamad al-Shamsi, ordered the formation of a specialized team of public prosecutors to investigate the incident and determine its circumstances and causes. Investigating the circumstances The formation of the investigation team comes in light of what Flydubai announced regarding an altercation occurring inside the cockpit during the flight, which required the intervention of crew members on board to secure the aircraft. The ministry emphasized that judicial authorities in the UAE hold jurisdiction over investigating the incident under applicable legislation, as the aircraft is registered in the state and bears its flag, rendering UAE law applicable to crimes committed on board even if they occur outside national territory. Potential terrorist links The ministry noted that investigations will examine various circumstances and motives behind the incident, including any potential link to terrorist activity, specific motives, or prior planning and direction. The UAE further expressed its thanks and appreciation to Saudi authorities, commending their cooperation and swift handling of the incident. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed the importance of relying on information and data issued by official sources while avoiding the dissemination of speculation or unverified information until investigations are complete. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel will get to the “roots” of the incident involving a co-pilot’s failed attempt to bring down a Flydubai aircraft traveling from Dubai to Israel, adding that Israel “might” participate in the investigations. Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm