Attempted 9/11-Style Attack Averted on Dubai-to-Tel Aviv Flight

An attempted terror attack, likened to the September 11th attacks, was thwarted on a civilian flight from Dubai to Ben Gurion Airport. The flight initially broadcast emergency codes 7700 and 7500, indicating a hijacking or unlawful interference. The situation escalated when the co-pilot, identified as an Omani citizen, suddenly attacked the Emirati captain inside the cockpit, stabbing him and attempting to seize control of the aircraft with the intent to crash it or hijack it.

During the intense incident, the plane experienced a dangerous dive of approximately 20,000 feet, dropping from 34,000 to 14,000 feet rapidly, with a sharp turn deviating significantly from its flight path. The averted disaster was attributed to the presence of an additional flight crew traveling as passengers. This extra crew, along with Israeli passengers, managed to breach the cockpit, overpower the assailant, neutralize him, and stabilize the aircraft.

A senior diplomatic official described the quick thinking of the passengers and crew as instrumental in saving hundreds of lives, comparing the event to September 2001 or the Entebbe raid of July 1976. Following the initial distress signals, urgent security discussions were held in Israel, chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Chief of Staff, and the heads of the Shin Bet and Mossad.

As a precautionary measure, all Flydubai flights landing in Israel were diverted to a separate area of a Saudi Arabian airport for thorough inspection to rule out a coordinated attack. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where the assailant was arrested and is currently being interrogated. Intensive efforts are underway in Jerusalem to arrange for the repatriation of the hundreds of Israeli passengers stranded in Saudi Arabia, with plans for both military and El Al aircraft to bring them home.