Pilot Arrested After Stabbing on Israel-Bound Flydubai Flight, Netanyahu Says

GOOBJOOG NEWS | JERUSALEM: A co-pilot on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was arrested in Saudi Arabia after allegedly stabbing the pilot and apparently attempting to crash the aircraft, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.

The Boeing 737 was carrying more than 170 passengers when the incident occurred during the flight to Israel. Passengers and crew members intervened and subdued the co-pilot, while other pilots aboard the aircraft took control and diverted it to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.

Netanyahu described the incident as a serious security event and said Saudi authorities had arrested the co-pilot following the emergency landing. An Israeli official identified the suspect as an Omani national.

Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft rapidly descended by thousands of feet during the incident before changing course towards Saudi Arabia. The sudden descent and emergency signals initially raised fears of a possible hijacking.

Flydubai confirmed that an altercation had occurred in the flight deck and said the aircraft was secured by its crew before being diverted and landed safely. The airline said the underlying reasons and motives remained unknown and were subject to a formal investigation.

Both pilots were injured and were taken to hospital after the aircraft landed in Tabuk, according to the airport. The passengers were also safely taken off the aircraft.

The incident triggered a security response in Israel, with fighter jets reportedly scrambled amid initial concerns that the aircraft could have been hijacked. The passengers were later expected to return to Israel on a replacement flight.

Israeli authorities are investigating the incident, but no motive for the cockpit altercation has been established publicly. Some Israeli officials have described it as a possible attempted attack, while the airline has urged against premature conclusions while the investigation continues.