Saudi Arabia Blocks Israeli Rescue Flights for Stranded Passengers

Over 170 Israelis remain stranded in Saudi Arabia after a dramatic mid-air incident forced their FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Israel to make an emergency landing. Efforts by the Israeli military (IDF) and El Al airline to repatriate the passengers have been blocked, as Saudi authorities denied permission for Israeli aircraft to land.

The passengers are now awaiting a special FlyDubai flight to bring them back to Israel. An initial attempt to evacuate them via a FlyDubai plane already in Saudi Arabia failed when the aircraft turned back to Dubai shortly after takeoff, prompting Israel to seek alternative solutions.

The incident occurred on a FlyDubai flight carrying over 170 people from Dubai to Israel when a violent altercation erupted in the cockpit. Israeli officials suspect an Omani co-pilot attempted to hijack the plane and crash it. During the struggle, the UAE national captain sustained stab wounds. Passengers reported a sudden loss of altitude, leading to panic, before several Israelis intervened to subdue the assailant.

Two off-duty pilots, identified as Russian and Ukrainian nationals, who were passengers on the flight, took control of the aircraft after the immediate threat was neutralized. They successfully landed the plane in Saudi Arabia, where the injured captain received first aid from onboard medical personnel. Some passengers were left with bloodied clothing following the confrontation.