Flydubai Plane Diverted to Saudi Arabia After Violent Pilot Brawl

A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, carrying 174 passengers including 27 children, experienced a severe incident mid-flight on Wednesday, prompting a diversion to Saudi Arabia and the scrambling of Israeli fighter jets. The aircraft transmitted a distress signal indicating a hijacking, Code 7500, while simultaneously descending rapidly and performing a backward maneuver. After intense concern in Israel, security officials confirmed the plane was safely landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Flydubai later confirmed the distress signal was triggered by an altercation between the pilots. The airline has launched an investigation and is arranging for a replacement aircraft to fly passengers from Saudi Arabia to Israel. Israeli security assessments lean towards the possibility of a terror attack, with one source suggesting the co-pilot, of Omani origin, intended to crash the plane, but the captain, from the UAE, neutralized him with the help of Israeli passengers. The co-pilot, who was stabbed during the incident, may have also been attempting suicide. Flight data showed the plane dropping from approximately 34,000 feet to 14,000 feet in a short period. A passenger described hearing screams, seeing blood in the cockpit, and feeling the plane was about to crash, crediting Israelis and the crew with subduing the attacker. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz held urgent security consultations. The Israeli military and security agencies, including the Shin Bet and Mossad, conducted situation assessments. The Prime Minister's office stated the incident was under control and all means were being used to ensure the safe return of passengers. The flight had departed Dubai at 7:05 AM and was scheduled to land in Tel Aviv around 9:30 AM.