A serious incident occurred on a Tel Aviv-bound flight from Dubai on Wednesday, according to Israeli officials and media reports. The pilot allegedly stabbed his co-pilot and attempted to crash the aircraft. Passengers helped overpower the alleged attacker, and the Flydubai plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The incident has been described as a terrorist attack by Israeli officials.
The emergency landing was made at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in the north-western Saudi city of Tabuk. The airport's air traffic control centre received a distress call from the aircraft at 8:44 am local time, requesting an emergency landing. An emergency was declared, and preparations were made to assist the aircraft, which landed safely at 9:45 am. Both the captain and co-pilot were injured and taken to hospital for treatment.
Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, described the alleged attacker as a terrorist who "planned to crash a plane and murder the 180 Israelis on board." He emphasized that terrorism is an evil that should be defeated and wiped off the face of the earth. Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, also described the incident as an attempt to crash the aircraft and kill those on board.
According to reports, the aircraft transmitted the emergency code 7700, indicating a general emergency, before switching to 7500, the code used to signal a hijacking. Israeli news portal Ynet reported that the aircraft went into a steep descent before one pilot, with the help of passengers, prevented the other from crashing it. One of the pilots reportedly suffered a stab wound.
Passengers on board the flight reported "screams and panic" as they helped subdue the alleged attacker. One passenger told broadcaster N12 that she later saw a large amount of blood in the cockpit and described moments of fear that they wouldn't make it out alive. A video published by Ynet showed an Israeli passenger with blood covering his face shortly after the incident.
Saudi authorities are investigating the incident, and Flydubai confirmed that there had been an "incident" on board. The airline arranged a replacement aircraft to assist passengers. Israeli officials continue to investigate the incident and the alleged attacker.
The incident highlights the ongoing threat of terrorism and the importance of vigilance in the aviation industry. Israeli officials and media have condemned the attack, and authorities are working to determine the motivations behind the alleged attacker's actions.
Key points
- Israeli officials describe incident as terrorist attack
- Passengers helped subdue alleged attacker
- Emergency landing made in Saudi Arabia
