A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after an altercation between the pilots, raising fears of a possible hijacking and prompting Israel to scramble fighter jets.The aircraft, carrying dozens of Israelis, landed safely in Tabuk, while an investigation into the incident is underway.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pilot who allegedly attacked the other pilot had been arrested and interrogated by Saudi authorities.He also said a second crew aboard the flight helped stabilise the aircraft after the incident. Israeli authorities have described the episode as a potentially serious security incident, while flydubai has said its teams are working with the relevant authorities.
Netanyahu says pilot arrested, passengers helped stabilise plane
Netanyahu said the pilot who attacked the other pilot had been arrested and questioned by Saudi authorities. He also said he had spoken to one of the passengers aboard the aircraft, who told him that a second crew on the plane helped stabilise the aircraft.According to news agency AFP, Netanyahu said one of the flydubai pilots had wanted to crash the plane and praised the people aboard the aircraft who prevented what he described as a “major disaster”.Netanyahu also said Israel was preparing for other “potential threats” following the incident.The aircraft had transmitted an emergency alert around two and a half hours after departing Dubai, according to publicly available flight-tracking information.It then dropped sharply from about 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet within roughly a minute before making an erratic circle near the Jordanian border and later landing in Tabuk, according to Flightradar24.
Fight in cockpit triggers emergency landing
An Israeli official told news agency AP that a fight broke out between the pilots and that one of them was armed with a knife. Another regional official also said an altercation had taken place in the cockpit, although the cause of the fight was not immediately clear.The aircraft’s captain and first officer were injured and taken to hospital, according to a statement from Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk carried by Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya television.Passengers told Israel’s Channel 12 that they heard shouting from the front of the aircraft and that the plane then dipped sharply.Videos reviewed by AP showed two injured men on the floor of the aircraft, with others apparently providing medical assistance and guarding the cockpit.Flydubai confirmed that flight FZ 1073, travelling from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport, had experienced an incident and landed safely in Tabuk.“Our teams are working closely with the relevant authorities,” the airline said.
Israel scrambles fighter jets
Israel scrambled warplanes after concerns that the aircraft could have been hijacked, AP reported, citing officials. Netanyahu’s office later said the situation was under control and that Israel was working to bring the passengers home.The Israel Airports Authority has opened a dedicated waiting and information area at Ben Gurion Airport for families of passengers on the flight.The area was set up in Terminal 1, with authorities saying representatives would provide families with information and assistance.Transport minister Miri Regev had asked the Civil Aviation Authority to investigate an alleged violation of the aviation agreement between Israel and the UAE. She also demanded that flydubai flights to Israel be suspended.The Times of Israel, cited by news agency ANI, reported that a second team of pilots in civilian clothes was aboard the aircraft and that they helped prevent one of the pilots from taking control of the plane. The report said the information had not been independently confirmed.Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister had held consultations and was monitoring the situation. “The incident is under control, and all measures are currently being deployed in order to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel,” it said.The investigation remains underway, with the airline saying further updates would be issued once additional confirmed details become available.
