Stories
FlyDubai Pilot Stabs Co-Pilot, Attempts Crash; Passengers Subdue Attacker Mid-Flight
- •A FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced to land in Saudi Arabia after one pilot reportedly stabbed another and attempted to crash the aircraft.
- •The plane rapidly lost 16,000 feet of altitude in about a minute, prompting fears of a hijacking and an alert to Israeli authorities.
- •Passengers and crew members intervened, breaking into the cockpit to subdue the attacking pilot and regain control of the aircraft, which then landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- •The incident, occurring just before the Oct. 7 attack anniversary, raises concerns about airline security and the potential threat pilots pose to public safety.
- •Investigations are underway into how a knife was brought onboard and the security protocols for pilots, especially given Israel's stringent airline security measures.
Key Questions Answered
A FlyDubai flight from the United Arab Emirates to Israel was forced to land in Saudi Arabia after a mid-air cockpit fight where one pilot attempted to stab the other and crash the aircraft. The plane experienced a rapid descent before a passenger and crew members subdued the attacker and safely landed the aircraft in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
The FlyDubai flight landed safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after circling near the Jordanian border. Both injured pilots required hospital treatment following the incident.
A passenger and a crew member managed to break into the locked cockpit, allowing other crew members to enter and take control of the aircraft to ensure a safe landing. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Saudi authorities subsequently arrested one of the pilots.
