Indian captain stops alleged sabotage on Flydubai flight — SkimNews
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- Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia after an Indian captain fought his co-pilot, who allegedly tried to crash the aircraft; all 174 passengers, including 27 children, were reported safe.
- Flight-tracking data reviewed by BBC Verify showed the plane dropped from about 34,000 feet by more than 17,000 feet in less than two minutes before transmitting emergency signals, including a code indicating possible unlawful interference.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said one pilot stabbed the other and that Israeli passengers broke into the cockpit and overpowered the attacker; the accused co-pilot was arrested by Saudi authorities.
- Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz called the incident "a jihadist terrorist attack attempt, which was thwarted only thanks to the bravery of several Israeli passengers who broke into the cockpit and overpowered the terrorist."
- Both pilots were injured and taken to Tabuk airport hospital; Israeli news website Ynet, citing Israeli officials, identified the co-pilot as an Omani national, though Flydubai has not released the pilots' identities.
- Opposition leader Yair Lapid said a standing security warning about increased terrorist activity abroad was not linked to the flight incident, noting "not similar, not reminiscent, not even hinted at" appeared in the prior night's security update.
- BBC Verify identified the aircraft as a Boeing 737 MAX based on seat layout and design visible in passenger video clips.
Why it matters: A Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX carrying 174 people, including 27 children, plunged more than 17,000 feet in under two minutes before passengers and crew intervened — the fact that the aircraft landed safely in Saudi Arabia with both pilots hospitalized and a suspect in Saudi custody means the investigation now spans Israeli, Emirati, Omani, and Saudi authorities simultaneously, with motive still unknown.
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