Israeli Officials Suspect Pilot's Attack on Colleague Was 9/11-Style Terror Attempt

An Israeli official described a mid-flight incident aboard a Flydubai flight bound for Israel as a potential terror attack, stating the co-pilot stabbed the pilot and attempted to crash the plane in a manner reminiscent of the September 11th attacks. Passengers and crew members reportedly intervened, storming the cockpit to subdue the assailant and prevent the aircraft from crashing. The plane, carrying over 100 Israelis, was diverted and landed safely in Saudi Arabia.

Israeli security forces are investigating the incident, with preliminary findings suggesting the co-pilot, believed to be from a Gulf state, intentionally attacked the pilot multiple times in an effort to bring down the aircraft. While a mental health episode is not entirely ruled out, the attacker's identity has strengthened suspicions of a deliberate terror act.

An emergency signal was received from the aircraft around 9:00 AM, prompting the scramble of Israeli Air Force fighter jets and urgent high-level security discussions. The plane briefly disappeared from tracking systems for about half an hour, heightening fears of a hijacking, before reappearing.

Flydubai confirmed that a dispute among the flight crew led to the incident. The suspect co-pilot is currently under investigation, and Israeli authorities believe his intention was to crash the plane with all its passengers. The aircraft landed in Saudi Arabia at approximately 10:00 AM, after which Israeli airspace was reopened. Officials noted that the presence of additional off-duty pilots on board, traveling as passengers, was crucial in stabilizing the aircraft and subduing the attacker.