Flight to Tel Aviv averts disaster after cockpit battle

(Bloomberg) — A flight operated by FlyDubai from Dubai to Tel Aviv narrowly avoided disaster after one of the pilots tried to stab a colleague, forcing the plane to plummet and make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

The sequence of events was described in a video message by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said the pilot who wanted to stab the other wanted to crash the plane. His comments were confirmed by footage of the dramatic moments on board, showing blood-soaked passengers and injured pilots.

Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia earlier said it received an emergency call from flight FZ1073 requesting an emergency landing at 8:44 a.m. local time, with the plane landing about an hour later. The airport said the pilot and co-pilot were injured and taken to hospital.

An unplanned landing hundreds of miles from the intended destination followed a harrowing descent of about two hours of travel. Boeing Co. The 737 plummeted more than 14,000 feet (4,300 meters) from its cruising altitude in less than 30 seconds, approaching the speed of sound. The plane then regained altitude and sent a general distress signal, followed by so-called illegal jamming, indicating a possible hijacking, according to Flightradar24 data.

After briefly entering Jordanian airspace, the flight turned 180 degrees and headed southwest toward Tabuk, the site said.

Unverified photos of the plane after it landed in Saudi Arabia showed that the rudder on the vertical stabilizer was missing – damage that can occur when airfoils move too aggressively at high speeds.

Flydubai’s 737 MAX 8 aircraft usually seat around 174 people.

Tabuk is located in northwestern Saudi Arabia, near the border between Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Flydubai said its teams are working closely with the relevant authorities to consider next steps.

A spokesman for Israel’s Ministry of Transport said Emirati authorities were working to repatriate Israelis stranded in Saudi Arabia. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office also said that “all measures are currently in place to ensure the safe return of Israeli passengers to Israel.”

Airplane hijackings have become increasingly rare in recent decades as governments have developed international protocols and regulations to increase safety in the air. Israel has some of the strictest security measures in place for flights after a spate of attempted and carried out hijackings in the 1970s.

Flydubai, Emirates’ sister carrier, started daily flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai in late 2020 with daily flights and has since increased operations to 70 flights per week, according to the airline’s website. The United Arab Emirates has become a popular holiday destination for Israeli tourists.

–With assistance from Ethan Bronner, Dan Williams, Leen Al-Rashdan and Gerry Doyle.

(Update with background throughout)

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