A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv plunged nearly 20,000ft and issued an emergency alert for “unlawful interference,” signaling a possible hijacking. Witnesses reported that one pilot stabbed the other and attempted to crash the plane. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a passenger and crew member “neutralised” the assailant, while another crew member stabilized the aircraft.
The plane diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with all 150+ passengers and crew safe. Flydubai attributed the incident to an “altercation” in the flight deck, and an Israeli official claimed it was a planned “9/11-style” attack by an Omani national, though this was unverified. The airline provided a replacement aircraft to fly passengers to Tel Aviv.
Flydubai, a Dubai government-owned budget carrier, has been a key route to Israel after other airlines halted flights following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing