A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after an apparent physical confrontation between the pilots, with Israeli officials saying the incident may have been an attempted “terror attack.”
Flight FZ1073 landed safely at Tabuk airport, and all passengers were accounted for, the airline said.
Two Israeli officials told Reuters that the co-pilot was believed to have stabbed the captain before cabin crew intervened and took control of the aircraft. Both pilots were reportedly hospitalised with injuries.
The aircraft transmitted a general emergency signal followed by a signal indicating possible unlawful interference while flying over Jordanian airspace. Flight-tracking data showed the Boeing 737 plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before the emergency alert was sent.
Israeli officials said their preliminary assessment was that the incident was an attempted terror attack and was not linked to a mental-health issue involving either pilot.
Earlier, an Israeli official said the pilots had engaged in a physical altercation but stressed that the incident was not believed to be a hijacking.
Conflicting reports emerged in Israeli media over the pilots’ nationalities and what triggered the confrontation. A passenger reportedly told Israeli media that she heard screaming before seeing a man with a knife force one of the pilots to the floor.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held security consultations following the incident and cleared his schedule to manage the crisis. His office said the situation was under control and that efforts were underway to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel.
Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk airport confirmed that the aircraft landed safely and that both pilots had been taken to hospital. Flydubai also said all passengers were safe and accounted for.