Pilot on Flight Full of Israelis Stabbed Another in Apparent Attempt to Crash, Netanyahu Says

A violent incident in the cockpit and transmitted emergency signals. Both pilots were injured and taken to hospital for treatment, according to the airport authorities.

Netanyahu said the co-pilot attacked the captain and tried to take control of the aircraft. He said passengers and crew members managed to intervene and restrain the attacker, allowing another flight crew to regain control of the Boeing 737 and bring it safely to the ground.

The Israeli prime minister said the suspect was arrested by Saudi authorities following the emergency landing and would be questioned by them. Reuters reported that an Israeli official identified the alleged attacker as an Omani national, although details about the pilots and the circumstances surrounding the confrontation remained subject to investigation.

The incident began while the aircraft was travelling westward toward Israel. Flight-tracking data showed the plane at more than 30,000 feet before it suddenly lost a substantial amount of altitude. Reuters reported that the aircraft dropped more than 14,000 feet in about 30 seconds during the incident.

The aircraft also transmitted emergency transponder signals, including code 7700, which indicates a general emergency, and code 7500, which is associated with unlawful interference or a possible hijacking. The signals triggered concern in Israel and Israeli fighter aircraft were scrambled amid fears that the plane could have been hijacked.

According to Reuters, the wounded captain was eventually able to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to enter. A passenger and crew member then helped subdue the attacking pilot while a reserve Flydubai crew on board took control of the aircraft.

Passenger accounts and video footage reviewed by Reuters showed two injured men inside the aircraft after the confrontation. The footage showed both men with blood on them, while passengers described confusion and panic as the aircraft rapidly descended.

Flydubai confirmed that an altercation had occurred in the flight deck but has cautioned against drawing conclusions about the motive before the investigation is completed. The airline said the aircraft was secured by crew members travelling on the flight and diverted safely to Tabuk.

The airline said all passengers and crew were accounted for following the landing and that arrangements were being made to get the passengers to their destination.

Images released after the incident showed passengers disembarking from the Flydubai aircraft at Tabuk Airport. Other images appeared to show damage to the aircraft’s rudder. The circumstances surrounding the reported damage were not immediately established.

The incident initially raised fears of a hijacking because of the 7500 emergency signal. Israeli officials later said the episode appeared to have resulted from a confrontation between the pilots rather than an externally organised hijacking. The precise motive behind the alleged attack has not been established.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the incident as an attempted terrorist attack, while other officials said investigations were still ongoing. Flydubai has not publicly confirmed a motive and has urged against premature speculation.

The flight’s emergency landing in Saudi Arabia was particularly significant because Saudi Arabia does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel. The passengers remained in Saudi Arabia after the emergency landing while arrangements were made for their onward journey.

The incident has prompted renewed attention to cockpit security and the procedures used to respond when a member of an aircraft’s flight crew becomes a threat to the aircraft.

For now, investigators are expected to establish what triggered the confrontation, how the alleged attacker gained access to a weapon, the extent of the damage to the aircraft and whether the incident was deliberately intended to bring down the plane.

All passengers ultimately survived the incident, while the two pilots remained under medical care following the emergency landing.