A FlyDubai flight heading from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia after a reported cockpit attack. Israeli officials described the incident as a possible terror attack, while the airline said the circumstances and motive remained under investigation.
FlyDubai flight 9/11 scare unfolds mid-air
A FlyDubai flight bound for Israel became the centre of a major security scare after an altercation broke out in the cockpit on September 30. Flight FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv when the incident occurred.
According to Israeli officials cited by Fox News, one pilot allegedly stabbed the other and apparently attempted to crash the aircraft. The plane then plunged thousands of feet before the crew diverted it to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.
The incident prompted Israel to scramble fighter jets amid initial fears that the aircraft had been hijacked. The plane eventually landed safely, with passengers and crew accounted for.
9/11 comparisons after alleged cockpit attack
The incident drew renewed attention to the threat of aircraft hijacking. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised passengers and crew members who, according to his account, intervened during the cockpit confrontation.
Netanyahu said the passengers and crew helped prevent what he described as a potentially catastrophic attack. In a Fox News appearance, he later said the actions had prevented “another 9/11.”
The 9/11 reference comes in the context of the history of aircraft hijackings and terrorism. Fox News reported that Israel has maintained stringent aviation security measures because of attacks involving Israeli aircraft and travellers in past decades.
What happened aboard the FlyDubai aircraft?
A passenger told Fox News that the co-pilot apparently stabbed the captain before collapsing onto the controls. The passenger described a sudden plunge, screaming inside the cabin and a loss of power.
Israeli officials said Israeli passengers entered the cockpit and helped overpower the alleged attacker. Netanyahu said additional crew members then helped stabilise the aircraft before it landed in Tabuk.
However, key details remain under investigation. FlyDubai confirmed that an altercation occurred on the flight deck but did not publicly confirm the reported stabbing or the alleged attempt to crash the aircraft. The airline said the reasons and motives remained unknown.
Investigation continues after 9/11-style hijacking fears
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the incident as an “attempted jihadist terrorist attack,” based on preliminary information. Israeli President Isaac Herzog also called it a terror attack and thanked passengers and regional partners.
FlyDubai said its crew secured the aircraft and that all passengers and crew were safe and accounted for. The airline also sent replacement aircraft to Tabuk to assist passengers and crew.
The airline urged against premature speculation while authorities investigate what happened inside the cockpit. The incident has nevertheless revived 9/11-era concerns over the vulnerability of commercial aircraft to hijacking and deliberate attacks.
