UAE Adviser Calls Flydubai Cockpit Incident a ‘Terrorist Act’, Praises Captain

A senior adviser to the United Arab Emirates has described a cockpit incident aboard a flydubai flight as a “terrorist act,” after the aircraft was diverted to Saudi Arabia during a journey from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

Anwar Gargash praised the flight’s captain, an Indian national, as a “true hero” for his actions during the episode, according to a report by Anadolu Agency.

The flight was rerouted to Saudi Arabia rather than continuing to its intended destination, though the report did not detail the exact sequence of events that led to the diversion or specify what occurred in the cockpit beyond Gargash’s characterization of it as an act of terrorism.

Flydubai, a low-cost carrier based in Dubai, operates a range of routes across the Middle East, and incidents affecting flight safety or security on its aircraft typically draw scrutiny from aviation authorities in the countries involved.

Gargash’s comments add a political dimension to what is otherwise being treated as an aviation security matter, with his remarks framing the episode in starker terms than a routine in-flight disruption.

It was not immediately clear whether any passengers or crew members were injured, or whether authorities in the UAE, Saudi Arabia or elsewhere have opened a formal investigation into the incident. Further details were not available at the time of the report.