One pilot 'stabbed the other' and 'apparently tried to crash' Flydubai plane, Netanyahu says
A pilot on a flight to Israel stabbed another pilot and 'apparently tried to crash the plane', according to Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Fly Dubai flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when it fell from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in less than two minutes.
A spokesperson for the commercial airliner confirmed in a statement to LADbible that 'an altercation occurred in the flight deck of flight FZ 1073, operating from Dubai International (DXB) to Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV), on 30 September'.
Israel's Prime Minister said: "During the flight, as they were approaching Israel, one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot and, apparently, tried to crash the plane with its passengers on board.
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"I spoke with one of the Israeli passengers. He told me that the plane went into a spin and began to descend.
"He told me that, somehow, he managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members and, together, they overpowered the pilot who had carried out the stabbing while he was attempting to sabotage the aircraft's systems.
"Another air crew who was on the plane entered the cockpit and managed to stabilise the aircraft."
He added: "I salute these heroes who demonstrated extraordinary resourcefulness and courage. They saved many lives and prevented a major disaster.
"The plane landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. All the passengers are now out of danger.
"The pilot who carried out the stabbing was arrested and is currently being questioned by the Saudi authorities."
Passenger Dalia Shpigel told Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the plane lost control and started to 'dive' an hour before landing.
She said that 'suddenly there were terrible screams throughout the plane' before 'three to five guys burst into the cockpit' and subdued the attacker.
"We realised that the situation was stabilising and continued the flight. Gradually, information began to emerge about what had happened in the cockpit," Shpigel said.
"Right now, we're all here in the terminal, and medical teams are examining us," she added.
A Fly Dubai spokesperson explained that the 'incident has no impact on other scheduled operations across the flydubai network'.
"At this early stage, the underlying reasons and motives behind this event are unknown and remain subject to a formal investigation. We urge all parties to refrain from premature speculation while authorities gather the facts," they said.
"Our immediate priority is to ensure the ongoing safety, health, and wellbeing of all passengers and crew members involved in this incident and support the official investigation."
Topics: World News, Israel, Dubai
Anish Vij