Pilot stabbed co-pilot, tried to crash Israel-bound flight: Netanyahu

( NewsNation ) — A pilot on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv allegedly stabbed another pilot and tried to crash the plane with its passengers Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, forcing the plane to divert to Saudi Arabia.

Netanyahu said Saudi Arabia arrested the pilot of FlyDubai Flight FZ1073. He also said passengers and crew members on the flight managed to subdue the attacker, preventing a “major disaster.”

Describing the event as “a highly severe security incident,” Netanyahu said Saudi authorities would interrogate the co-pilot. The alleged assailant, who an Israeli official identified as an Omani national, was arrested after the plane landed, Netanyahu said.

Israeli officials believe the incident was a possible attempted “terror attack.”

“All passengers are out of harm’s way,” Netanyahu, who described the passengers as being almost all Israeli, said in a video statement released by his office.

The flight was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when it transmitted emergency signals while flying over Jordanian airspace.

The Boeing 737, carrying 150 Israeli passengers, according to Israeli media reports, eventually landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

The airline said the flight experienced an “incident” and diverted to Tabuk, but all passengers were safe and accounted for.

Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the aircraft suddenly descended nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before transmitting the first emergency signal.

The aircraft then transmitted another signal indicating possible unlawful interference before later sending the initial general emergency signal again.

It was not immediately clear who transmitted the emergency signals.

Increased security ordered on Israeli and non-Israeli carriers

Netanyahu has ordered authorities to “ramp up” security on both Israeli carriers and non-Israeli carriers on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the prime minister’s office said.

Netanyahu has warned in recent days of unspecified, heightened security threats. The country is a week away from the anniversary of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which has triggered a series of wars, and is weeks away from an election.

FlyDubai incident may be an attempted ‘terror attack’: Officials

What happened inside the cockpit remains under investigation.

Two Israeli officials told Reuters the Israeli government believes the incident may have been an attempted “terror attack” involving one of the pilots.

The officials said the co-pilot was believed to have stabbed the captain before cabin crew members entered the cockpit and took control of the aircraft.

An Israeli official said the pilots had gotten into a physical altercation, prompting the emergency signals.

Tabuk Airport said both pilots were hospitalized after sustaining injuries. Authorities have not publicly identified which pilot was responsible for the reported stabbing.

Passengers aboard Israel-bound plane describe chaotic scene

People aboard the plane reported hearing screaming during the incident.

Yasmin Abukasis told Reuters her daughter, Miriam, was on the flight and described hearing screams before seeing a man holding a knife force one of the pilots onto the floor.

Her daughter also reported seeing blood inside the aircraft.