Israeli Passengers Return Home After Foiled Hijacking on Fly Dubai Flight
174 Israeli passengers landed safely at Ben Gurion Airport after a Fly Dubai flight was diverted to Saudi Arabia following a foiled hijacking attempt by an Omani co-pilot.
A Fly Dubai flight carrying 174 Israeli passengers landed safely at Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday evening after being diverted to Saudi Arabia following a foiled hijacking attempt. The incident began mid-air when the Omani co-pilot reportedly attempted to crash the aircraft, attacking the captain with a sharp object smuggled into the cockpit.
According to security assessments, the co-pilot stabbed the captain multiple times, causing the plane to lose control and descend rapidly. Passengers aboard the flight rushed to the cockpit, intervened, and successfully overpowered the attacker, tying him up before the aircraft landed in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia, escorted by Saudi fighter jets.
Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the event was a "jihadist terror attack" intended to crash the plane with all its passengers on board. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the courage of the Israeli passengers who neutralized the threat. The Airport Authority established an emergency information center at Terminal 1 to assist families.
Following the incident, Transportation Minister Miri Regev demanded the suspension of all Fly Dubai flights to Israel, conditional on replacement by Israeli carriers. However, Shin Bet security directives currently prohibit Israeli airlines from operating flights to the United Arab Emirates, complicating regional aviation protocols.
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