Israeli PM Claims Pilot Tried to Crash Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight After Captain Was Stabbed

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Wednesday that a Flydubai pilot attempted to crash a Tel Aviv-bound commercial flight carrying around 160 passengers after stabbing the captain in mid-air. The mid-flight attack was thwarted when passengers and off-duty crew members stormed the cockpit to overpower the assailant, allowing the aircraft to make a safe emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Chaos at 33,000 Feet

The harrowing incident unfolded approximately two and a half hours into the routine flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport. According to flight-tracking data and eyewitness accounts, the Boeing 737 suddenly went into a steep dive while cruising over Jordan, plunging roughly 16,000 feet in under two minutes as an altercation erupted inside the flight deck.

According to Israeli officials, one of the pilots produced a knife and inflicted severe injuries on the flight captain. The attacker then attempted to sabotage the aircraft's control systems and force the jet into a terminal spin.

Panic spread through the cabin as screams echoed from the front rows and passengers felt the plane lose controlled flight. "The plane was pretty much out of control," recalled passenger Miryam Shira Ohayon, describing moments of absolute terror as passengers braced for impact.

Dramatic Cockpit Breach

Disaster was averted through a swift and violent intervention from those onboard. Hearing the commotion from the cockpit, off-duty air crew members alongside several Israeli passengers—including off-duty security personnel—forced their way past the flight deck door.

Passengers worked together with onboard staff to wrestle the armed pilot to the floor. Witnesses reported using the heavy-duty cords from complimentary passenger headphones to bind the attacker's limbs and secure him in the cabin. Meanwhile, a surviving crew member entered the flight deck, took control of the controls, and managed to stabilize the plummeting jet.

In a video statement released later in the day, Netanyahu praised the courage of those who intervened.

"I salute these heroes, who showed extraordinary resourcefulness and courage. They saved many lives; they prevented a major disaster." — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz went further, describing the event as an "attempted jihadist terror attack" that was thwarted only by the quick thinking of the passengers and crew.

Fighter Jets Scrambled and Emergency Landing

As the aircraft issued a general squawk code for a mid-air emergency, regional militaries were placed on high alert. Fearing an active hijacking, the Israeli Air Force immediately scrambled fighter jets to intercept the airliner as it approached national airspace.

With the attacker neutralized and the aircraft stabilized, the crew radioed air traffic control in neighboring Saudi Arabia. The plane was granted immediate permission to enter Saudi airspace and touched down safely at Tabuk Regional Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Saudi authorities quickly met the aircraft on the tarmac, took the suspected attacker into custody, and transferred the injured captain to a local medical facility. Officials confirmed that the suspect—identified by regional security sources as an Omani national—remains under interrogation by Saudi intelligence agencies.

Aftermath and International Response

Flydubai confirmed that an "altercation occurred in the flight deck" on the service, adding that the aircraft was secured by crew before making a safe diversion.

A replacement retrieval flight was arranged by regional authorities to transport the stranded passengers from Tabuk to Tel Aviv. Israeli international diplomats expressed gratitude to Saudi officials for facilitating the emergency landing and securing the scene despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Security protocols at major regional airports are expected to undergo immediate review as international aviation bodies launch a formal investigation into how a crew member managed to smuggle a weapon onto the flight deck.