Article 158 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 158 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الثاني: صلاحيات وواجبات السلطات
When a crime under Article 154 or an act endangering an aircraft in flight occurs, the competent authorities in the Kingdom must restore control of the aircraft to its commander, return the aircraft and goods, and let passengers and crew continue their journey.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجب على السلطات المختصة في المملكة في حالة ارتكاب إحدى الجرائم الواردة في المادة (الرابعة والخمسين بعد المائة) من هذا النظام، أو ارتكاب فعل يعرض أو قد يعرض للخطر سلامة طائرة في حالة طيران أو الأشخاص أو الأموال التي على متنها، أن تتخذ الإجراءات الآتية:
1 - إعادة السيطرة على الطائرة لقائدها أو المحافظة على سيطرته عليها.
2 - إعادة الطائرة التي هبطت في المملكة والبضائع التي على متنها إلى الأشخاص الذين لهم الحق في حيازتها قانونا، والسماح لركاب وطاقم الطائرة بمواصلة رحلتهم بأسرع ما يمكن.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 158 explained in plain English
This article sets out the duties of the competent authorities in the Kingdom when a crime or a serious act relating to an aircraft occurs.
When does it apply?
- When one of the crimes in Article 154 is committed, including violence against a person on board an aircraft in flight that endangers its safety, seizing the aircraft or taking control of its command by force, threat or coercion, destroying the aircraft or placing a device on it, false reports, assaulting crew, and theft on board;
- or when an act is committed that endangers or may endanger the safety of an aircraft in flight or of the persons or property on board.
The required measures:
- restore control of the aircraft to its commander, or preserve the commander's control over it;
- return the aircraft that has landed in the Kingdom, and the goods on board, to the persons lawfully entitled to possess them; and
- allow the passengers and crew to continue their journey as soon as possible.
The rationale: to protect the innocent from the effects of the crime: passengers, crew and goods owners should not suffer further harm, and everything is returned to its owners and the journey resumed as quickly as possible. The wording is mandatory ("must").
This article follows Article 157, which gives the aircraft commander powers regarding measures, disembarkation and handing over, and precedes Article 159, which obliges the authorities to allow the commander to disembark or hand over a person. Anyone affected by such an incident may consult a lawyer specializing in criminal cases.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 158 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
What do the authorities do if an aircraft subjected to a hijacking attempt lands in the Kingdom?
They must restore control of the aircraft to its commander or preserve it, return the aircraft and goods to those entitled to possess them, and allow the passengers and crew to continue their journey as soon as possible.
Are passengers allowed to continue their journey after the incident?
Yes. The authorities must allow the aircraft's passengers and crew to continue their journey as soon as possible.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Aviation Security Offenses and Penalties
- Article 14
Unauthorized persons may not interfere with or obstruct the flight crew during flight, and no one may tamper with the aircraft or endanger its safety, its crew or its passengers.
يحظر على أي شخص غير مخول رسميا أن يتدخل في أعمال أي عضو من أعضاء هيئة القيادة أو يعوقه عن عمله أثناء فترة الطيران ، كما يحظر على أي شخص العبث بأي جزء من أجزاء ا
- Article 19
The owner or operator of an aircraft registered in the Kingdom may not offer or sell alcohol, narcotics or prohibited items on board; arrivals may not possess them, and no aircraft may carry them into the Kingdom.
1 - يحظر على مالك أي طائرة مسجلة في المملكة، أو مشغلها أن يقدم أو يبيع لأي شخص على متنها أي مشروبات كحولية ، أو مواد مخدرة ، أو أي مواد محظور دخولها إلى المملكة
- Article 105
The article prohibits anyone from boarding an aircraft if they show signs of intoxication or drug use.
يحظر على أي شخص ركوب الطائرة إذا كانت تبدو عليه علامات السكر أو المخدر.
- Article 106
The article prohibits piloting an aircraft or working as a crew member while under the influence of an intoxicant, drug or impairing medication, and prohibits taking any of them throughout the period of work.
يحظر على أي شخص أن يقود طائرة أو أن يعمل كأحد أفراد طاقمها ما دام تحت تأثير مسكر أو مخدر أو دواء يؤدي إلى إضعاف مقدرته على القيام بواجباته على الوجه الأكمل، وفي
- Article 153
The provisions of the international treaties and conventions the Kingdom has approved, and the laws applied in the Kingdom, apply to crimes and acts committed against the security and safety of civil aviation and aircraft.
تطبق على الجرائم والأفعال التي ترتكب ضد أمن وسلامة الطيران المدني والطائرات؛ أحكام المعاهدات والاتفاقيات الدولية بهذا الشأن التي وافقت عليها المملكة وأحكام الأن
- Article 154
The article specifies the acts that are crimes against aviation security, such as violence on board an aircraft, destroying it, giving false information, seizing it, assaults at airports, assaulting crew, harassment and theft.
1- يُعد مرتبكًا لجريمة أي شخص يشرع في ارتكاب أو يرتكب عمدا ودون حق مشروع فعلا من الأفعال الآتية أو يشارك شخصا آخر يشرع أو يرتكب هذا الفعل: أ - أن يقوم بعمل من أ
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.