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The co-pilot of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has been arrested by Saudi authorities and is being interrogated after allegedly trying to crash the aircraft, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on September 30.
Flight FZ1073, carrying more than 170 passengers, made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia after a violent incident in the cockpit. According to Netanyahu, the co-pilot stabbed the captain and then attempted to interfere with the aircraft's systems and send the plane into a dive.
Passengers and a crew member then broke into the cockpit and subdued the co-pilot. Other pilots who were traveling aboard as passengers subsequently helped regain control of the aircraft, allowing it to land safely in Saudi Arabia.
Israeli officials identified the alleged attacker as an Omani national. Reuters reported that the captain and co-pilot were members of the operating crew, while additional pilots were traveling as passengers.
Earlier reports from Israeli media said the additional pilots who helped bring the aircraft down safely were Ukrainian and Russian nationals. That detail was reported by Israel Hayom and other outlets but was not independently confirmed by Reuters.
The aircraft transmitted emergency code 7700 and later code 7500, which is used to indicate unlawful interference or a possible hijacking. Flight-tracking data showed that the plane suddenly descended by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before the emergency was declared.
The Israeli government initially described the incident as a security emergency and said it was not considered a conventional hijacking. Israeli officials later said their assessment was that the incident was an attempted terrorist attack, although the investigation was still underway.
Flydubai confirmed that the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk and that all passengers were accounted for. The airline said it was cooperating with the relevant authorities.
