A FlyDubai pilot in command of a passenger jet en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday stabbed his co-pilot and attempted to crash the plane, which was full of Israeli passengers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
The aircraft, FlyDubai Flight 1073, plunged more than 17,000 feet before two off-duty pilots managed to stabilize it, preventing what Netanyahu described as a “major disaster.” Other passengers were simultaneously able to subdue the rogue pilot.
After sending distress signals, the plane abruptly reversed course near the Saudi-Jordanian border before making an emergency landing at a small airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
“During the flight as they approached the country one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video address. “Apparently he tried to crash the plane with its occupants.”
According to Netanyahu, “almost all” of the passengers on the plane were Israeli.
“I spoke with one of the Israeli passengers. He told me that the plane went into a spin and began to dive. He told me that somehow he managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members and together they neutralized the stabbing pilot while he was trying to sabotage the aircraft’s systems,” Netanyahu said.
The motive for the attack remains unclear and an investigation is ongoing.
“At this early stage, the underlying reasons and motives behind this event are unknown and remain subject to a formal investigation,” a FlyDubai spokesperson said. “We urge all parties to refrain from premature speculation while authorities gather the facts.”
Both the captain and the co-pilot sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital, Cluster2, Saudi Arabia’s leading aviation operator, said in a statement.
Authorities are working to coordinate a replacement aircraft, the statement continued.
Netanyahu confirmed that the co-pilot was arrested and is being interrogated by Saudi authorities.
“We are maintaining continuous contact with the relevant authorities to ensure the continued safety of the passengers and their return home,” Netanyahu said.
Israel has experienced many hijackings and terminal attacks throughout its history which have informed its strict aviation protocols. Foreign airlines must earn approval from Israel’s Aviation Security Operation Center (ASOC), and passengers undergo lengthy and thorough security checks. Ben Gurion International Airport, outside Tel Aviv, suggests passengers arrive three hours before their flight to undergo pre-screening, questioning, multiple passport checks, and advanced baggage security.
Israel is looking to send planes to collect the Israeli passengers, but an Israeli official told CNN that Riyadh is refusing to allow the planes to come. Saudi Arabia does not maintain any diplomatic relations with Israel.
At this time, the identity of the attacker has not been made public.