Israel-Bound 737 Drops 17,000 Feet, Diverts to Saudi Arabia After Violent Struggle Between Pilots
A fight between two FlyDubai pilots on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv raised alarms about a potential hijacking and prompted the Israeli Air Force to scramble fighter jets early Wednesday.
While details are still emerging, media reports suggest the two pilots were fighting inside the cockpit and may have both been stabbed. The incident caused the Boeing 737 MAX to drop about 17,400 feet in two minutes. The plane also gave out a distress signal indicating some kind of general emergency, before switching to one that signals “unlawful interference.”
The 737 landed at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. According to NBC News, both the captain and first officer were transported to a local hospital.
There were over 100 passengers on board, and none were reported injured. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said arrangements were being made to transport Israeli passengers to Tel Aviv after many refused to board a FlyDubai flight out of Tabuk.
Israeli officials told The Jerusalem Post that one pilot stabbed the other in the cockpit and attempted to take control of the aircraft. Some crew members and passengers seated near the front of the plane noticed the altercation, subdued the attacker, and dragged him out of the cockpit. Two off-duty pilots who were traveling as passengers then took the controls, flew the 737 to Tabuk, and executed the landing.
These details could not be independently verified as of Wednesday morning.
As the incident unfolded, the Israeli Air Force scrambled fighter jets for a potential interception, the Post said, and Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting with defense officials.
CNN reported that the alleged attacker is an Omani national.
According to the Post, the growing consensus among Israel’s defense and intelligence establishment is that the incident was a foiled terrorist act.
Images and videos reportedly captured by passengers and shared with U.S. and Israeli media show a man, believed to be a passenger, with bloodstained clothes in the cabin. Another video shows passengers cheering and applauding as the 737 landed in Tabuk.
