Israel: Flydubai Pilot Tried to Hijack Plane After Fight

Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv experienced an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a violent altercation between the two pilots. The Boeing 737, carrying Israeli passengers, descended abruptly and changed course, transmitting emergency signals that raised concerns of a possible hijacking. Israeli authorities, upon receiving the emergency alerts, swiftly deployed fighter jets and diverted the aircraft to Tabuk, where it safely landed.

Initially, reports suggested a physical fight between the pilots, but Israeli officials later investigated the possibility that the copilot had attacked the captain with a knife and tried to take control of the plane, a theory now being treated as a potential terrorist attack. The suspect was reportedly an Omani national, and both pilots sustained injuries.

Passengers and crew intervened to separate the pilots, and other pilots among the passengers assisted in controlling the aircraft during the emergency landing. Both pilots were taken to a hospital in Tabuk for treatment. Flydubai confirmed the incident and that all passengers were accounted for. The Israeli government responded quickly, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holding security consultations and canceling his schedule to manage the crisis.

Despite the initial alert suggesting a hijacking, Israeli officials have since ruled out conventional hijacking and are now treating the incident as a potential terrorist attack. The airline is arranging for another Flydubai aircraft to transport the passengers from Saudi Arabia to Israel.