Israel mobilized fighter jets amid fears of a possible hijacking attempt
A FlyDubai flight covering the route between Dubai and Tel Aviv was diverted this Wednesday and landed in Saudi Arabia after a physical altercation occurred between crew members during the journey, in which, according to passenger testimonies cited by international media, one of the captains was injured after being stabbed by his colleague.
The FZ 1073 arrived safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, and all passengers were safe, the Emirati company said, according to the German media outlet Deutsche Welle (DW).
The incident also raised concerns about a possible kidnapping attempt, prompting Israel to deploy fighter jets in response, according to reports from Israeli media and officials cited by international news agencies.
Reports of a fight inside the cabin
According to data released by DW, a regional official told the AP news agency that a confrontation occurred in the cockpit in which the pilots were allegedly involved.
Three Israeli passengers claimed in a video that one of the captains stabbed another. According to their account, some passengers intervened, subdued the alleged assailant, and provided assistance to the injured man near the cockpit.
The version of events involving the alleged knife attack was also reported by Israeli media. However, the exact circumstances of the incident remain under investigation, and authorities have not officially confirmed all the details.
The Israeli press also noted that the crew members had issued an emergency signal after the confrontation.
Aircraft changed course
Tracking records showed that the Boeing 737 Max 8 departed from Dubai and subsequently made a sharp change of course before heading towards Tabuk.
According to Flightradar24 data, the aircraft lost altitude and maintained an irregular route before changing direction again and heading towards the Saudi airport.
Tabuk has an air terminal for both civilian and military use.
Israel assesses possible kidnapping attempt
Israeli authorities are maintaining the possibility of an attempted kidnapping as one of the hypotheses of their investigation.
An official from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, quoted by the EFE news agency, stated that this possibility was considered plausible, while local media indicated that one of the commanders was being questioned to clarify what happened inside the cockpit.
The Israeli Ministry of Transport also stated that the situation was under control and that measures were being implemented to ensure the safe return of Israeli passengers.
FlyDubai stated that its teams were cooperating closely with the relevant authorities and added that it would provide further details as the facts were confirmed.
The flight landed without incident
The airline confirmed that FZ 1073 landed safely in Tabuk and that the passengers were out of danger.
So far, available information indicates that at least one of the pilots suffered injuries during the confrontation, although the severity of the injuries has not been officially established.
Authorities are continuing their investigation to clarify the causes of the dispute and determine precisely what happened among the crew members.
Episodes of violence between pilots during an air journey are rare. In 2022, two Air France pilots were suspended after a fight in the cockpit during a flight between Geneva and Paris, although on that occasion the plane continued its itinerary and reached its destination without diversion.
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