FlyDubai passengers recount terrifying ordeal as pilot allegedly attempted to hijack and crash flight to Israel
A FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv narrowly avoided a crash on Wednesday after a co-pilot allegedly attacked his colleague and attempted to hijack the aircraft. The plane plunged 14,000 feet before passengers and crew breached the cockpit to regain control, forcing an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the attacker used an axe and stabbed the other pilot. Early Israeli investigations suggest the suspect acted as a lone wolf, though a motive has not been established.
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- ✓ FlyDubai Flight 1073 was diverted to Saudi Arabia after a confrontation between pilots.
- ✓ The aircraft plunged 14,000 feet during the incident.
- ✓ Passengers and crew entered the cockpit to regain control of the plane.
- ✓ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated a pilot stabbed a fellow pilot.
What changed
Israeli investigators now believe the alleged hijacker was likely a lone wolf.
Live updates
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FlyDubai Flight 1073 Diverted to Saudi Arabia After Pilot Attack
A FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv narrowly avoided a crash on Wednesday after a co-pilot allegedly attacked his colleague and attempted to hijack the aircraft. The plane plunged 14,000 feet before passengers and crew breached the cockpit to regain control, forcing an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the attacker used an axe and stabbed the other pilot. Early Israeli investigations suggest the suspect acted as a lone wolf, though a motive has not been established.
Why it matters
The incident involved a packed commercial jet heading to Israel. It required a coordinated effort between passengers, including an Israeli dentist, and an Indian pilot to secure the cockpit.
What is confirmed
- FlyDubai Flight 1073 was diverted to Saudi Arabia after a confrontation between pilots.
- The aircraft plunged 14,000 feet during the incident.
- Passengers and crew entered the cockpit to regain control of the plane.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated a pilot stabbed a fellow pilot.
Still unconfirmed
- The co-pilot used an axe to attack the other pilot.
- The attack was a lone wolf operation.
What to watch next
- Official identification and motive of the suspect co-pilot
- Results of the formal investigation into the breach of cockpit security
confidence 90%Sources used for this update (18)
- mynews13.com — Pilot killed in Titusville plane crash, officials say
- Reuters — Israel-bound flight diverted to Saudi Arabia after brawl between pilots, Israeli official says
- The Free Press — ‘I Ran Toward the Cockpit’: An Exclusive Interview with the Israeli Dad Who Stopped a Hijacking
- CBS News — FlyDubai passengers recount terrifying ordeal as pilot allegedly attempted to hijack and crash flight to Israel
- nytimes.com — Plane to Israel Narrowly Averts Disaster
- The Atlantic — A Near-Disaster on Flydubai
- www.foxnews.com — FlyDubai pilot stabs fellow pilot, attempts to crash plane, Netanyahu says
- www.cnn.com — What happened inside the Flydubai flight to Israel? What we ...
- www.nbcnewyork.com — Passengers detail horrifying scene aboard Israel-bound flight ...
- www.cbsnews.com — Flydubai passengers recount terrifying ordeal as pilot allegedly attempted to hijack and crash flight to ....
- www.straitstimes.com — Israeli flight hijack averted by Indian pilot's bravery
- thenightly.com.au — Flydubai highjacking video: Passengers recount terror, footage emerges as plane plunges 14,000 feet | The....
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