Israeli authorities on Wednesday described the incident involving a Flydubai aircraft travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv as a “terrorist attempt” to bring down the plane, while the company confirmed that the flight had been diverted and landed safely at Tabuk airport, stressing that the causes and motives behind the incident remained under official investigation.
Netanyahu relays account of cockpit intrusion
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had spoken to one of the Israeli passengers on the flight, who told him that he had joined a crew member in forcing their way into the cockpit and taking control of the pilot, who he said had been trying to sabotage the aircraft’s systems. Netanyahu added in a video that Israeli authorities were continuing to communicate with the relevant parties to ensure the passengers’ safety and their return to Israel.
He said all the passengers were out of danger, adding that the pilot had stabbed several people before being arrested. The Israeli prime minister said his country was preparing for the possibility of further “potential threats” emerging after the incident, hours after it occurred and following an earlier denial that it had been a hijacking.
Katz describes incident as attempt to bring down plane
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, for his part, said the incident had been a “terrorist attempt”, adding that the initial information available to the authorities indicated that the attacker’s aim had been to bring down the plane with all its passengers on board. Katz claimed that the attempt had been foiled by the intervention of several Israeli passengers, saying they had forced their way into the cockpit and overcome the person he described as the “terrorist”.
He added that control of the aircraft was subsequently returned to an additional flight crew member who was on board. The Israeli statements came as the flight’s passengers departed for Tel Aviv on a new aircraft, according to Agence France-Presse. In its account of the incident, Flydubai said an “altercation” had taken place inside the cockpit of flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai airport to Ben Gurion International Airport.
It confirmed that the flight crew secured the aircraft and diverted it before landing safely at Tabuk airport. The company said all passengers and crew members were well, and that their safety had been checked after landing. It added that it had taken the necessary measures to deal with the incident and ensure the flight could continue in line with approved operational requirements.
Flydubai also confirmed that the crew had dealt with the situation in accordance with the applicable safety protocols, carrying out the diversion and safe landing in Tabuk without any passengers being harmed. The company stressed that “it is too early to determine the causes or motives behind the incident”, explaining that the circumstances had not yet become fully clear and that the relevant authorities were conducting an official investigation.
It also confirmed its full cooperation with investigations aimed at establishing the details and causes. Tabuk airport had received a distress call from the Flydubai flight at 8:44am requesting an emergency landing, prompting emergency procedures to be activated and the alert level to be raised to deal with the situation and ensure the safety of the passengers and crew members.
