Defense Minister Israel Katz stated Wednesday that the incident aboard the Flydubai flight was a jihadist terror attempt thwarted by Israeli passengers who broke into the cockpit and subdued the attacker. The Zioneer reports that the passengers are expected to depart for Israel imminently.
The Israeli passengers from Flydubai flight FZ1073 are expected to depart for Israel imminently from Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on a rescue flight, The Zioneer reports. This development comes hours after the aircraft was diverted Wednesday afternoon following an attempted terror attack aboard the Dubai–Tel Aviv flight.
The sequence of events, as reported by The Zioneer, began at 14:36 with initial accounts of an attempted hijacking. At 16:39, Defense Minister Israel Katz officially classified the incident as a jihadist terror attempt, stating that Israeli passengers broke into the cockpit and subdued the attacker. The Zioneer then reported at 16:45 that the plane had plunged 14,000 feet after one pilot stabbed the other. At 16:53, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu provided further details, confirming that an Israeli passenger and a crew member entered the cockpit and neutralized the pilot-attacker, while another crew member stabilized the aircraft. Netanyahu also noted that the suspect is being investigated by Saudi authorities.
The incident prompted the dispatch of a rescue flight from Israel to Tabuk, as The Zioneer reported at 16:40. The Mossad is involved in screening the remaining flight crew. Saudi sources initially stated no Israeli aircraft would be allowed to land, but the diversion proceeded, and the rescue flight was permitted. US Ambassador Mike Huckabee commented that the incident could have been catastrophic but all are safe. The Zioneer reported earlier that Israeli agencies opened a joint aviation inquiry involving the Mossad and Shin Bet.
The identity and motive of the suspect pilot remain under investigation. The transportation minister is expected to demand a freeze on Flydubai flights to Israel pending further inquiry. The Zioneer will continue to monitor developments.
4 developments
- Strong8-year-old on Flydubai flight says she thought plane would crash during rapid descent
- StrongWizz Air passenger asks to deplane over Shabbat concerns; airline cites security check delay
- DevelopingFemale soldier trapped in bus trunk recounts horror: 'I screamed but no one heard'
- DevelopingSpecial-needs girl denied boarding at Ben Gurion Airport after passing all security checks
Source and signal
- Open-source intake