Flydubai pilot stabs colleague on Tel Aviv flight, allegedly tries to crash plane
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after one pilot stabbed the other and, according to Israel's prime minister, apparently tried to bring the aircraft down; passengers subdued the attacker and the plane landed safely.
A Flydubai flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday following a serious incident in the cockpit. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later confirmed that one pilot had stabbed the other and then apparently attempted to crash the aircraft.
More than 150 people were on board, with Netanyahu saying most passengers were Israeli citizens. Flight-tracking data showed that roughly two and a half hours after takeoff, the plane rapidly lost altitude over Saudi Arabia, dropping more than 5,000 meters in under two minutes. The aircraft soon transmitted a distress code, which was later changed to a signal indicating a hijacking. After briefly entering Jordanian airspace, the plane turned back toward Saudi Arabia and eventually landed safely at Tabuk Airport.
The stabbed pilot was identified as an Indian national, a captain, whose condition was described as stable. Both Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him a hero, crediting his actions with helping save hundreds of lives.
Passenger accounts
Several passengers described chaos on board, including blood, screaming and fear. One passenger said that after helping the injured pilot, he managed to get into the cockpit, grabbed the attacker and pulled him out, while other passengers later restrained the man using items on hand. Some witnesses said the attacker had attempted to damage cockpit instruments during the incident.
Official response
Following the incident, both Israel and Saudi Arabia scrambled fighter jets, while Netanyahu convened emergency security consultations. Flydubai confirmed there had been a conflict in the cockpit, saying other crew members took over the flight and landed it safely in Tabuk. Passengers later continued to Tel Aviv on a replacement flight. US President Donald Trump said he had spoken with Netanyahu and suggested the attacker may have had terrorist motives, though the precise motive remains unclear.
