A flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after an incident reportedly took place inside the cockpit.
The aircraft, flight FZ 1073, was flying from Dubai International Airport to Ben-Gurion Airport when it diverted and landed safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Flydubai confirmed that all passengers and crew members were safe and accounted for.
Israeli airspace was temporarily closed during the incident and was later reopened after the aircraft landed in Saudi Arabia. And the company flydubai said it plans to send another aircraft to Saudi Arabia to bring the passengers back to Tel Aviv.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir were also reportedly considering sending an Israeli military or civilian aircraft to return the passengers home.
Zamir also cancelled a planned trip to the United States because of the ongoing situation.
He had been scheduled to meet US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine and US Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper.
Authorities are investigating what happened aboard the aircraft, including the identity and background of the pilot who reportedly attacked another pilot with a knife.
According to an Israeli official cited by the Jerusalem Post, authorities believe the pilot may have attempted to take control of the aircraft.
However, it remains unclear what his ultimate intention was.
Investigators are examining several possibilities, including whether he intended to divert the aircraft, crash it, or carry out another form of attack.
The official said authorities were also investigating the pilot’s identity and background.
An Israeli passenger told the Jerusalem Post that one pilot attacked another and attempted to force him out of the cockpit as the aircraft began losing altitude.
According to the passenger, several Israelis seated near the front of the aircraft rushed toward the cockpit and confronted the attacker.
One passenger was seen with a bloodstained shirt.
The passenger said two other pilots were seated toward the rear of the plane and initially appeared shocked by what was happening.
The passengers reportedly managed to remove the attacker from the cockpit, allowing the other pilots to enter and regain control of the aircraft.
The passenger said the injured pilot was in critical condition. An Israeli dentist travelling on the flight reportedly provided medical assistance and helped treat the wounded pilot.
In a statement, flydubai confirmed that flight FZ 1073 experienced an incident while travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30.
The airline said the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk and that all passengers and crew were safe and accounted for.
It added that its teams were working with the relevant authorities and that further updates would be issued once additional information was confirmed.
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