A Flydubai flight carrying Israeli passengers made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after one pilot allegedly stabbed the other and attempted to crash the aircraft, Israeli officials said.
The captain of Flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was reported by Israeli media to be an Indian national, while the co-pilot who allegedly carried out the attack was reported to be Omani.
The Indian captain reportedly fought with the co-pilot, who was suspected of trying to bring down the plane. Both pilots were injured in the altercation and taken to hospital after the aircraft landed safely at Tabuk airport in north-western Saudi Arabia, airport authorities said.
Flydubai has not given details about what happened inside the cockpit or identified the pilots. The flight was carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children, according to Ynet.
The aircraft issued emergency signals and plunged thousands of feet before diverting to Saudi Arabia, prompting Israel to scramble fighter jets amid fears that it had been hijacked.
Flydubai said the aircraft had "experienced an incident while en route" and landed safely in Tabuk. It said all passengers were safe and accounted for, and that it was working with the relevant authorities.
Israel claims 'jihadist' pilot tried to crash flight
Israeli leaders said on Wednesday that a "jihadist" pilot had aimed to crash a Flydubai plane with mostly Israeli passengers, who overpowered him and prevented a "major disaster".
"During the flight, as they approached the country, one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot, and apparently tried to crash the plane with everyone on board," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message.
He said he spoke to an Israeli passenger who broke into the cockpit as the plane started to plummet and fought the pilot who was trying to bring down the aircraft.
"Another air crew member who was on the plane entered the cockpit and managed to stabilise the aircraft," Netanyahu said.
"I salute these heroes, who showed extraordinary resourcefulness and courage. They saved many lives; they prevented a major disaster."
Defence Minister Israel Katz described the incident as "an attempted jihadist terror attack" that was "thwarted only thanks to the heroism of several Israeli passengers".
Katz did not identify his source for assigning a motive to the pilot, whose identity has not been revealed.
Netanyahu said the pilot who allegedly stabbed his colleague "has been arrested and is currently being interrogated by the Saudi authorities."
"I have instructed the security services to prepare for additional potential threats. We are conducting ongoing situation assessments," he added.
Plane plunged thousands of feet
Israeli media reports said two other pilots were travelling as passengers and took over the controls before the aircraft was diverted to Saudi Arabia.
Netanyahu said a passenger and a crew member had managed to enter the cockpit during the descent and overpower the pilot. Other crew members then helped stabilise the aircraft.
Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft cruising at about 34,000ft before rapidly losing altitude.
According to data analysed by BBC Verify, it dropped by about 17,000ft, then climbed around 5,000ft before descending another 7,000ft, all within less than five minutes.
The flight later diverted towards Tabuk, where it landed at 09:45 local time after issuing a distress call.
The airport operator said the captain and first officer had suffered injuries and were taken to hospital. Passengers were also given medical attention.
Israeli authorities scrambled fighter jets after the emergency signals raised fears of a possible hijacking. The Israeli military said it was checking reports of the incident.
Passengers describe panic
Passengers described hearing shouting and screams near the cockpit before the aircraft began losing altitude.
Miryam Shira Ohayon, a passenger on the flight, said the aircraft was "pretty much out of control" when the stabbing took place. “The co-pilot tried to murder the pilot and basically carry out a suicide attack on the plane,” she told reporters by speakerphone.
“It was really on the way to crashing, and it was simply the resourcefulness of many people who took control of the co-pilot and neutralised him,” Ohayon said and added that a doctor provided first aid while other passengers treated the injured pilots.
Another passenger, Zvika Manes, told Israeli media that he had helped subdue the alleged attacker.
“I’m covered in blood. It was insane,” he said, according to Ynet.
Video footage reviewed by The Associated Press appeared to show two injured men on the floor of the aircraft, with passengers providing medical assistance while others guarded the cockpit.
Israeli authorities are investigating the incident, and the motive behind the reported attack remains unclear.
FlyDubai is the lower-cost sister carrier of Emirates.
The UAE and Israel established diplomatic relations in 2020, after which Dubai became a popular destination for Israeli tourists.
Saudi Arabia has no formal diplomatic relations with Israel but has allowed Israeli aircraft to use its airspace since 2022. It has also handled emergency landings involving Israeli passengers, including one in 2023 after an aircraft developed an electrical fault.
The incident comes days before Israel marks the anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and weeks before its election, amid heightened regional tensions.
(With inputs from AFP, AP and PTI)