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Flydubai Plane: Pilot Attacks Co-Pilot with Knife at 35,000 Feet, Hijack Attempt?
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News18•30-09-2026, 17:22
Flydubai Plane: Pilot Attacks Co-Pilot with Knife at 35,000 Feet, Hijack Attempt?
- •A Flydubai plane en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv experienced a knife attack between the pilot and co-pilot at 35,000 feet.
- •One pilot attacked the other with a knife, leading to an emergency signal and international hijack code 7500 being transmitted.
- •The plane descended from 34,000 to 15,000 feet and made a safe emergency landing at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia.
- •Two Israeli Air Force fighter jets were dispatched, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reviewed the incident.
- •Screaming and blood were reported in the cockpit; Israeli officials suggest it was a fight between pilots, not a hijack attempt.
Key Questions Answered
A physical altercation broke out between the pilot and co-pilot in the cockpit at 35,000 feet, with one pilot allegedly attacking the other using a knife, prompting the transmission of an international hijack code.
After receiving a hijack alert and a dramatic descent, Israeli security agencies dispatched two Israeli Air Force fighter jets to intercept and cover the aircraft.
The aircraft safely landed at Tabuk airport in the northwestern part of Saudi Arabia, where all 180 passengers safely disembarked.
