A Flydubai flight carrying mostly Israeli passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after one of the pilots allegedly stabbed the other and attempted to bring down the aircraft.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the incident occurred as the Boeing 737 Max 8 approached Israel, claiming the attacking pilot attempted to crash the plane with everyone on board.
Netanyahu said an Israeli passenger, together with a crew member, managed to enter the cockpit and overpower the pilot while the aircraft was in a dangerous descent.
“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,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.
He said another crew member subsequently entered the cockpit and helped stabilise the aircraft.
“I salute these heroes, who showed extraordinary resourcefulness and courage. They saved many lives; they prevented a major disaster,” the Israeli prime minister said.
The aircraft, identified as Flydubai Flight FZ1073, was diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. More than 170 passengers were aboard, according to reports.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the incident as “an attempted jihadist terror attack,” saying it was thwarted by passengers who intervened and overpowered the attacker.
However, the motive has not been independently established. Flydubai said an “altercation occurred in the flight deck” and that the aircraft was secured by crew members who were travelling on the flight before it was diverted to Saudi Arabia.
The airline also urged against premature conclusions, saying the underlying reasons and motives remained unknown and were subject to a formal investigation.
Netanyahu said the pilot accused of carrying out the stabbing had been arrested and was being questioned by Saudi authorities.
Passengers later described a terrifying descent, with reports indicating that the aircraft plunged thousands of feet during the incident. Some passengers said people rushed towards the cockpit after realising that the turbulence was caused by a struggle involving the pilots.
The passengers and crew were eventually flown back to Israel on a replacement aircraft after the emergency landing.
The incident has prompted an investigation into what happened inside the cockpit, including the alleged motive of the pilot and whether the episode constituted a deliberate terror attack. Israeli authorities are also examining whether the attacker acted alone.
