Pilot stabs another on a Dubai–Tel Aviv flight and passengers subdue him
A pilot on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv stabbed another pilot in the cockpit on Wednesday and, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, "apparently tried to crash the plane". Passengers and crew members subdued him, and the aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, in north-west Saudi Arabia, with all 174 passengers safe, 166 of them Israelis.
A Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX experienced an incident on a Dubai to Tel Aviv flight where a pilot allegedly stabbed another crew member in the cockpit. Passengers and crew members quickly subdued the attacker, and the plane landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with all 174 passengers unharmed. The flight, FZ1073, departed Dubai at 03:05 GMT and made an emergency declaration near the Israel-Jordan border before diverting to Tabuk at 06:58 GMT.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported that the attacker apparently attempted to crash the aircraft. The incident has been described as an "attempted jihadist terror attack" by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz. Flydubai has stated that the motives remain unknown and are under formal investigation. The airline urged against premature speculation.
The event occurred weeks before Israel's upcoming elections, prompting various reactions from political leaders and calls for either suspending the airline or allowing it to conduct its own investigation.
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