Governments cannot stay silent on the threat against Israel after flydubai hijacking - editorial
The flydubai incident does not become any less worthy of condemnation because the involved prevented its worst possible consequences.
A violent incident aboard a flydubai flight resulted in a near-fatal descent for the aircraft, with 174 passengers and crew. Israeli officials reported that the event occurred during a struggle in the cockpit, as the copilot allegedly stabbed the captain and tried to crash the plane. Miraculously, all passengers survived the ordeal as other flydubai pilots landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia.
Despite the gravity of the situation, the international response remained muted. By Thursday, authorities had not reached a definitive conclusion on the incident, and few governments had publicly condemned the violence. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) initiated an investigation, but Saudi Arabia had not commented on the matter, and the European Union and other major Western nations did not issue any public statements.
Flydubai reported that an altercation took place on the flight deck, leading the crew to secure the aircraft and divert it to Tabuk. The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority characterized the event as a "security incident" that resulted in injuries to crew members and necessitated an emergency landing. Flight-tracking data confirmed a sharp descent, accompanied by the transmission of 7500, the international code for unlawful interference.
The UAE attorney-general formed an investigation team to determine the cause and assess if the incident was linked to terrorism or involved premeditation. The flydubai and Emirati authorities requested caution in drawing conclusions before the investigation was complete.
The international community's subdued response to the incident is troubling, given the confirmed violence and the safety of those on board. Governments should not wait for complete evidence before condemning such acts, but the lack of official condemnation from major powers is particularly concerning. The absence of a death toll should not be an excuse for indifference, as such actions demand condemnation regardless of the outcome.
Passenger aircraft are not battlefields, and international bodies like the International Civil Aviation Organization require states to report unlawful or attempted acts of interference. These incidents highlight the vulnerability of air travel and the responsibility of governments to ensure the safety of all passengers, regardless of their destination. The heroes on this flight acted swiftly to prevent a tragedy, and governments must follow suit in responding to such acts of violence aboard civilian aircraft.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
