Israel thanks Saudi Arabia after passengers foil attempt to crash Flydubai flight

The co-pilot of a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv tried to crash the plane after stabbing the pilot, but passengers subdued him while other crew members landed the aircraft safely in Saudi Arabia, Israeli officials said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said flight FZ1073, carrying mostly Israeli passengers, suddenly dove nearly 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds before an emergency signal was transmitted. According to a passenger account relayed by Netanyahu, the co-pilot stabbed the pilot and attempted to sabotage the aircraft's systems as it "entered a tailspin and began to dive." 

A passenger and a member of the crew broke into the cockpit and managed to subdue him, allowing the plane to be brought under control and landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia. "They saved many lives. They prevented a heavy disaster," Netanyahu said in a video statement.

Israel thanks Saudi Arabia for its response

Israeli officials thanked Saudi authorities Wednesday evening for receiving the aircraft at Tabuk and caring for its passengers. 

The injured pilot was hospitalized on site. The Omani co-pilot suspected of carrying out the attack was arrested and, also injured, has likewise been hospitalized, pending questioning by Saudi investigators.

Contacts continued throughout the day between Israeli, Saudi and Emirati security services as the situation was assessed. Israeli officials described the incident as "a highly severe security incident," with Defense Minister Israel Katz calling it an "attempted jihadist terrorist attack." 

Flydubai confirmed that "an altercation occurred in the flight deck" and said it had dispatched replacement aircraft to Tabuk to bring the passengers on to Tel Aviv.

Israeli investigators say it remains unclear whether the co-pilot intended to hijack the aircraft, crash it outright, or carry out a September 11-style attack. 

Transportation Minister Miri Regev has asked Israel's Shin Bet security agency to suspend all Flydubai flights to and from the country pending the outcome of the investigation.