FlyDubai Passengers to Be Evacuated From Saudi Arabia After Mid-Air Incident

Passengers aboard a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv are safe in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, following an emergency landing on September 30. The immediate threat has passed, and arrangements are being made for their return to Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have ordered military transport planes to be sent to Saudi Arabia to bring the Israelis home. FlyDubai had initially stated it would send another aircraft from Dubai to collect the passengers, and El Al also offered an aircraft for the evacuation. The situation is complicated by the lack of diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Upon landing, passengers were instructed to remain on board while the pilots were escorted off the aircraft. Reports from Israeli sources suggest the incident was more than a simple crew dispute. Preliminary assessments indicate a possibility that one pilot intentionally attempted to crash the plane, with the other pilot and Israeli passengers intervening to prevent it. Later, Israeli sources leaned towards a suicide attempt by one pilot, while investigators also considered a potential terrorist motive for the attempted crash. No version has been definitively confirmed.

A passenger told N12 that screams were heard from the cockpit during the flight, followed by the sight of blood. She reported that one pilot was injured with a folding knife and that Israeli passengers and crew members helped subdue the attacker. N12 also reported that one pilot is of Russian origin and the other Ukrainian, though this is unconfirmed. The cause of the conflict remains unknown.

The incident began as the plane approached Israel. Flight tracking data showed the aircraft initially transmitted an emergency code (7700), followed by a code indicating unlawful interference (7500), before reverting to 7700. The plane experienced a rapid descent, dropping from approximately 34,000 feet to 14,000 feet in a short period. Upon receiving the 7500 code, Israel scrambled fighter jets and held high-level security consultations. The aircraft was eventually escorted by Saudi fighter jets and landed in Tabuk around 10:00 AM. Israel's Airports Authority confirmed that the country's airspace remained open and airport operations continued normally throughout the incident.