Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight Lands Safely in Saudi Arabia After Cockpit Attack

A co-pilot on a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight stabbed the main pilot and attempted to crash the plane before off-duty crew subdued him. The aircraft landed safely in Saudi Arabia with over 100 Israelis on board.

N12•Author: כתבי חדשות 12
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Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight Lands Safely in Saudi Arabia After Cockpit Attack
Photo: N12 / טיסת דובאיי-ישראל | צילום: יוסי אלוני, פלאש90

Hijacking Attempt Averted on Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight

An attempted terrorist attack aboard a commercial flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was thwarted after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the main pilot and attempted to crash the aircraft. Israeli authorities and security officials are investigating the incident, which ended with an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

According to a high-ranking Israeli official, the co-pilot launched a violent attack inside the cockpit, trying to replicate a September 11-style disaster or hijack the plane. The aircraft entered a sudden dive before off-duty pilots and crew members rushed the cockpit, subdued the attacker, and regained control of the aircraft.

"The extraordinary luck of this flight was the presence of an additional pilot crew on board as passengers. Without them, we would have faced a catastrophe reminiscent of September 2001 or July 1976," a senior Israeli official stated.

Emergency Landing and Diplomatic Coordination

The dramatic sequence began at approximately 09:00 when an emergency hijacking signal was transmitted from the aircraft, prompting the Israel Air Force to scramble fighter jets. The plane disappeared from civilian tracking radars for nearly 30 minutes, triggering acute anxiety among defense officials in Jerusalem. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately returned to central Israel to convene an emergency security consultation.

The aircraft ultimately landed safely at an airport in Saudi Arabia carrying over 100 Israeli passengers, who are currently awaiting repatriation arrangements. Flydubai confirmed that an onboard altercation among the flight deck crew initiated the emergency, while investigators continue to examine whether the co-pilot acted out of extremist motives or a psychological breakdown.

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