Photo: JACK GUEZ / AFP / Getty Images
Passengers and crew aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday (September 30) prevented a major tragedy after a co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to crash the plane in what Israeli officials are calling an act of terror. The Boeing 737 aircraft, carrying between 160 and 180 passengers—most of them Israeli—plunged over 17,000 feet in less than two minutes before making an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the co-pilot, identified as an Omani national, stabbed the captain as the aircraft approached Israeli airspace and appeared to try to sabotage the plane's systems. Passengers and crew members responded quickly, breaking into the cockpit and subduing the attacker. "They saved many lives and prevented a major disaster," Netanyahu said in a video address, praising the "resourcefulness and courage" of those on board. The assailant was arrested and is being questioned by Saudi authorities. Both pilots sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital, but all other passengers and crew were reported safe and accounted for.
Flight tracking data confirmed the aircraft’s rapid descent, which aviation experts described as "many times the rate of a planned emergency descent," suggesting a physical struggle over the controls. The crew managed to stabilize the aircraft and land safely in Tabuk, where Saudi authorities responded to the incident.
After the emergency landing, Israel was denied permission to send its own planes to retrieve the passengers, as Saudi Arabia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. Instead, Flydubai sent replacement aircraft, and by Wednesday evening, most of the stranded travelers had arrived safely at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. Family members met them with relief and celebration, though some refused to board the replacement flight, opting to wait for an Israeli carrier.
The motives behind the attack remain under investigation. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the event as an "attempted jihadist terror attack," while authorities from the United Arab Emirates and Flydubai are cooperating in the ongoing probe. U.S. officials, including Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, said there is no credible threat to the United States but are monitoring the situation closely.
Israeli officials have announced plans to increase security protocols for both Israeli and foreign airline carriers. Investigators are expected to focus on the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, as well as the attacker’s background, medical history, and how a weapon was brought on board.