Passengers subdued the co-pilot of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv after he allegedly stabbed the pilot and attempted to crash the plane, Israeli officials said.
The aircraft, carrying more than 170 Israelis, landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia after a second set of pilots on board took control. The co-pilot, identified by an Israeli official as an Omani citizen, was arrested after landing.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident as “a highly severe security incident” and said Saudi authorities would question the co-pilot.
He said a passenger had reported that the aircraft “entered a tailspin and began to dive”. Passengers and a crew member then broke into the cockpit and found the co-pilot “trying to sabotage the plane’s systems”, Mr Netanyahu said.
“They saved many lives. They prevented a heavy disaster,” he added.
A spokesman for the Israeli prime minister said the injured pilot, covered in blood and lying on the cockpit floor, had opened the release on the cockpit door. The airline said the reasons for the incident remained unknown and warned against “premature speculation”.
Yasmin Abukasis said her daughter Miriam, who was on the flight, had heard screaming and seen a man holding a knife force one of the pilots to the floor. She said there was blood throughout the area.
Flight data indicated that the aircraft descended by almost 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before an initial emergency signal was sent on Wednesday morning, according to Flightradar24.
Both pilots were taken to hospital after the plane landed in Saudi Arabia. The passengers remained on the ground for eight hours before departing for Israel on a replacement Flydubai aircraft, which later landed safely.
Israel’s transport ministry said it would conduct a joint investigation with the country’s defence establishment. Mr Netanyahu also ordered tighter security for Israeli and non-Israeli carriers flying into Israel.
