Passengers on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv reportedly subdued the co-pilot after he allegedly stabbed the pilot and attempted to interfere with the aircraft’s controls, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu described the Wednesday incident as a serious security event involving Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was carrying mostly Israeli passengers. He said passengers and a crew member entered the cockpit after the aircraft reportedly entered a steep descent and found the co-pilot allegedly attempting to interfere with the plane’s systems.
The aircraft subsequently landed safely in Saudi Arabia, where the alleged attacker was arrested. An Israeli official identified the co-pilot as an Omani national, while Saudi authorities were expected to question him. The pilot was reportedly stabbed during the incident.
An Israeli official earlier said the aircraft had transmitted emergency signals. Data cited from flight-tracking service Flightradar24 indicated that the plane descended by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before an initial emergency signal was sent.
Netanyahu said all passengers were safe and praised those who intervened, saying their actions prevented a potentially serious disaster. A spokesperson for his office said the incident was not initially being treated as a conventional hijacking.
Israeli officials, speaking anonymously, said Israel’s preliminary assessment was that the incident could have been an attempted terrorist attack and was not believed to be connected to a mental health issue involving either pilot. Investigations by the relevant authorities are expected to establish what happened and the motive behind the alleged attack.
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