FlyDubai Flight to Tel Aviv Diverted After Pilot Attack

Passengers on a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv recounted chaotic events that led to the aircraft being diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. According to an Israeli traveler interviewed by the Jerusalem Post, one pilot allegedly stabbed his colleague and attempted to eject him from the cockpit during a sudden, steep dive. Passengers in the front cabin reportedly rushed to the cockpit to subdue the assailant. Two other pilots, traveling in the rear of the plane, were then called to intervene. "I screamed at them to run and take back control of the plane," the passenger stated. The group eventually managed to remove the attacker from the cockpit and allow the additional crew members to enter, one of whom stabilized the aircraft. The stabbed pilot sustained serious injuries, with an Israeli dentist onboard providing first aid that may have saved his life.

Another passenger, Uri, described to Walla the passengers' continued distress, noting, "People are still terrified, especially after the plane suddenly plunged." He added, "From what I understood, the pilot tried to kill himself with us. Some passengers helped the other pilot to subdue him until landing." This account, however, is based on passenger testimonies, as the suspect's exact motives remain officially unconfirmed. Other travelers reported hearing screams before seeing a man armed with a knife. Images from after the landing showed a passenger with a blood-stained shirt following his intervention in the cockpit.

The temporary disappearance of the aircraft from tracking systems and a distress signal initially fueled fears of a hijacking. The plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia, but families of the passengers experienced prolonged anxiety due to communication difficulties. An Israeli woman whose 75-year-old mother was on board described "moments of immense anguish" due to the lack of contact.

The pilot suspected of attempting to crash the plane, which was en route to Ben Gurion Airport, is an Omani national, while his colleague is Emirati. Following an assessment by the IDF, Shin Bet, and Mossad, Israeli authorities are leaning towards the possibility of a terrorist act. An investigation is ongoing to determine the precise sequence of events and the suspect's motivations. FlyDubai confirmed all passengers are safe and will be returned to Israel on a specially dispatched aircraft.