Flydubai co-pilot attacked pilot, tried to crash plane as Israel claims ‘terror attack’

A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a violent incident in the cockpit. According to Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz, the incident was an attempted terrorist attack that was thwarted by the bravery of several Israeli passengers who overpowered the attacker and restored control of the aircraft.

The plane, a Boeing 737 carrying dozens of Israeli passengers, transmitted emergency signals during the flight, prompting Israel to deploy fighter jets in response to the threat. The aircraft was diverted to Tabuk, in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it eventually landed safely.

The incident involved a co-pilot who attacked the pilot and tried to crash the plane, with some reports suggesting it was an attempted hijacking or suicide attack. Israel's Prime Minister and Defense Minister had previously issued security warnings and alerts based on intelligence, with Katz saying these warnings should be taken seriously.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch Nigeria, PBS NewsHour, Arutz Sheva - Israel National News, Haaretz, Colombia One — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.