Pilot on Israel-bound flight stabbed another, tried to crash, Netanyahu says

A pilot on a FlyDubai flight bound for Israel allegedly stabbed another pilot and attempted to crash the aircraft carrying numerous Israeli passengers, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The dramatic incident occurred on a Wednesday when the plane, which had departed from Dubai, descended rapidly from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in approximately one minute before executing an erratic maneuver near the Jordanian border.

As the plane began to dive, passengers and crew members managed to break into the cockpit, where they subdued the attacker and took control of the aircraft. Israel scrambled warplanes in response to the incident, fearing a possible hijacking. Saudi Arabia subsequently arrested the pilot involved in the altercation. Footage circulating on social media showed two men on the floor of the plane with bloody wounds, while emergency medical personnel provided treatment.

The plane eventually landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, around two and a half hours after leaving Dubai. Netanyahu praised the passengers and crew members who showed exceptional courage in preventing a potential disaster. The incident prompted Israel to scramble warplanes due to concerns about a possible hijacking, particularly given the heightened security threats the country has been facing in the aftermath of Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack and the upcoming election.