Credited from: CBSNEWS
The Flydubai flight FZ1073, bound for Tel Aviv, was diverted to Saudi Arabia when a co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain in a bid to take control of the aircraft, intending to crash it, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The flight was carrying 180 Israeli passengers, who feared for their lives as the plane lost altitude rapidly during the incident, prompting emergency consultations in Israel regarding national security, as reported by Channel News Asia and CBS News.
Amid chaos, some passengers played heroic roles in subduing the attacker. Eyewitness accounts detailed how people intervened when the situation escalated; one passenger recounted, "the co-pilot tried to murder the pilot and basically carry out a suicide attack on the plane," confirming that the attacker was neutralized by fellow passengers and crew members who barged into the cockpit, as narrated by CBS News and Africanews.
The incident has raised serious concerns about airline security and highlighted the potential risks posed by pilots themselves. Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz classified the event as an "attempted jihadist terror attack," and reported that the plane's condition was stabilized by an off-duty crew member who was able to land the aircraft safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Passengers expressed profound relief, calling the ordeal "the scariest thing possible," according to accounts relayed by Channel News Asia and CBS News.
Upon landing, the passengers were transported for examination and later flown back to Israel. Reactions to the incident included a mixture of shock and thankfulness for the passengers who intervened. Reports of the cockpit altercation emphasized the immediate danger the passengers faced, citing a chaotic scene where "some people were dealing with stuff" while others sought to control the plane, illustrating the intense moments prior to the emergency landing, as detailed by Africanews and CBS News.