+34
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced increased aviation security after a Flydubai Boeing 737 carrying 174 people bound for Tel Aviv diverted to Saudi Arabia when one pilot allegedly stabbed another and attempted to crash the aircraft. The plane landed safely after passengers and a second crew member intervened, and authorities are investigating the cause of the flightdeck altercation.
Netanyahu to 'ramp up' aviation security after pilot stabs colleague and 'tries to crash plane' bound for Israel Netanyahu to 'ramp up' aviation security after pilot stabs colleague and 'tries to crash plane' bound for Israel Israel's Prime Minister says a commercial flight with 174 people on board bound for Tel Aviv had to divert to Saudi Arabia after one pilot stabbed the other and "apparently tried to crash the plane".
The Boeing 737 operated by flydubai — a sister airline of Emirates — took off from Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday morning, local time. Tabuk Airport, in north-west Saudi Arabia, said its air-traffic control received a distress call from the flight FZ1073 at 8:44am . It landed there safely around an hour later.
In a video address released by his office on Wednesday, Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu made several startling claims about what he described as a "highly severe security incident". He said:The flight entered a "tailspin", which prompted passengers to break into the cockpit with a member of the crew. The plane only landed safely because a second crew on board took control.
Almost all the passengers on the flight were Israeli, Mr Netanyahu said, before praising the group that intervened at the front of the plane. Authorities would "ramp up" flight security on Israeli and non-Israeli carriers, Mr Netanyahu's spokesman later added. According to the website Flightradar24, the flydubai plane plunged about 4,000 metres in less than 30 seconds at one point during its journey.
Some of the details from Mr Netanyahu's video were corroborated by a flydubai spokesperson, who said an "altercation had occurred" on the flightdeck of FZ1073.
"At this early stage, the underlying reasons and motives behind this event are unknown and remain subject to a formal investigation," they said. 'We jumped and helped the pilot'One of the passengers on board, Itzhak Liber, posted a video to social media shortly before the plane landed, in which he said: "We are here on the plane, there was a crazy man with a knife who stabbed one of the pilots. "We jumped and helped the pilot.
Friends, everything is OK now, as you can see we are landing in Saudi Arabia, you can see I am fine. That's it. We will see in a few minutes what will happen when we land.
" Citing local security sources, Israeli media outlets and Reuters said the incident was being treated as a terror attack. Israel Katz, the country's defence minister, on Wednesday described the incident as "a jihadist terror attempt" which was "thwarted only thanks to the bravery of several Israeli passengers who broke into the cockpit, overpowered the terrorist and with their own hands returned control of the plane to an additional flight crew that was present there".
Transporting the passengers from Tabuk to Tel Aviv has been complicated by the fact Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have formal diplomatic relations. An Israeli request to send a plane to pick up the passengers was rejected. Flydubai said it had sent two planes to Tabuk later on Wednesday to pick up the stranded people. Shortly after 6pm local time , Saudi authorities confirmed the stranded people were on their way to their final destination.
Flydubai Flight Security Pilot Incident Emergency Landing Israel
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Flydubai Flight Diverts to Saudi Arabia After Emergency Code 7700 TransmittedA flydubai commercial flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after transmitting an emergency code, prompting speculation over potential hijacking but later confirmed as a technical issue, ensuring safe landing and a swift investigation.
Read more »
Pilots Clash Leads to Emergency Landing of Flydubai Plane in Saudi ArabiaA flydubai 737‑MAX bound for Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Tabuk after a violent fight between pilots caused a blood‑stained cockpit. The incident was initially thought to be a hijacking but was later clarified as an on‑board altercation. Israeli officials secured the aircraft, interrogated the crew, and sent a replacement plane to continue the flight to Tel Aviv. The incident highlighted concerns over cockpit security and prompted a swift government response.
Read more »
Flydubai Flight FZ1073 Makes Emergency Landing in Saudi Arabia After Pilot Fight and Stabbing ReportsA flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after a fight between pilots and reports of a stabbing in the cockpit, prompting Israel to scramble fighter jets over fears of a hijacking.
Read more »
FlyDubai Flight Diverted Amid Cockpit Brawl; Passenger Heroes Prevent CrashA FlyDubai flight carrying up to 180 passengers was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a violent altercation between the pilot and co-pilot. Passengers stormed the cockpit to subdue the attacker, preventing a potential disaster. Israeli authorities are investigating the incident as a possible terror plot and are demanding compensation for the passengers' trauma.
Read more »