Flydubai Passengers Return to Israel After Hijacking Attempt
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
A Flydubai flight carrying Israeli passengers returned to Israel after a co-pilot attempted to hijack the plane and was subdued by the crew and passengers. The flight had diverted to Saudi Arabia, where the passengers waited for hours before a replacement aircraft arrived.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Flydubai flight with Israelis landed in Israel after hijacking attempt.
- Co-pilot subdued after trying to seize control of the aircraft.
- Plane diverted to Saudi Arabia, passengers waited eight hours.
- Israeli PM Netanyahu greeted passengers upon arrival.
- Joint investigation launched into the security incident.
A Flydubai flight carrying Israeli passengers, which diverted to Saudi Arabia following an attempted hijacking, landed back in Israel on Tuesday evening. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was present at Ben Gurion Airport to greet the passengers upon their arrival.
The incident occurred on flight FZ1073 en route from Dubai to Israel. The co-pilot, identified as an Omani citizen, allegedly attempted to attack the main pilot and seize control of the aircraft. During the struggle in the cockpit, the plane experienced a rapid descent of approximately 14,000 feet in one minute. The pilot and several passengers managed to subdue and restrain the assailant.
The aircraft was forced to land in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where the more than 100 Israeli passengers were stranded for about eight hours. Saudi Arabia reportedly denied a request for Israeli aircraft to retrieve the passengers from its territory. Consequently, a replacement Flydubai plane was dispatched to bring them back to Israel.
Israel's security agencies, including the Shin Bet, Mossad, the IDF, and the Ministry of Transportation, have launched a joint investigation into the incident. Key aspects under scrutiny include whether there were any prior warning signs and how a crew member from a country with no diplomatic relations with Israel was assigned to the flight. Security officials currently believe the incident was the act of a lone perpetrator but are concerned about potential copycat attempts.
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