Flydubai has issued an official statement following the safety incident aboard flight FZ 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Sept. 30, confirming that all 172 passengers and crew members are safe.

The statement by flydubai Chief Executive Officer Ghaith Al Ghaith was released through the Dubai Media Office.

Al Ghaith said the aircraft was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, following a safety incident in the flight deck.

He said the captain has since received medical clearance and returned to the UAE, while the airline continues to provide support to those affected

Al Ghaith commended the captain and other pilots who secured the aircraft and landed it safely, as well as the cabin crew. He also thanked passengers who assisted the crew during the incident.

Flydubai also expressed gratitude to Saudi and UAE authorities for their response and assistance following the diversion.

The airline confirmed that, at the request of authorities, its operations to Tel Aviv have been temporarily suspended until further notice.

Al Ghaith said an official investigation into the incident is underway and is being led by the relevant authorities with flydubai’s full cooperation.

“I know there are many questions about what happened on board FZ 1073. A full official investigation, led by the relevant authorities and fully supported by flydubai, is underway. It is important that we allow this process to establish the facts,” he said.

Flydubai did not disclose further details about what occurred inside the flight deck, saying the investigation should be allowed to establish the facts. (Newswire)

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