Flydubai flight diverted after reported fight between pilots

FILE PHOTO. Fly Dubai commercial airline passenger airplane. © Getty Images / CatEyePerspective A FlyDubai passenger liner carrying hundreds of people to Tel Aviv went into a death-dive over Saudi Arabia, before landing in Tabuk in northern Saudi Arabia, following a ‘violent incident’ onboard, according to FlyDubai. 

The Boeing 737 was reportedly carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children. About two hours into the flight, the aircraft transmitted emergency signals, including a code indicating possible hijacking, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24. The plane went into a steep dive, losing some 4,500 meters in altitude in a minute, according to tracking data

Israel scrambled fighter jets, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held urgent security consultations.

FlyDubai later confirmed that the aircraft landed at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia and that all passengers were safe. It said a replacement aircraft would take them onward to Israel.

Widely conflicting reports as to the chain of events on board and the identity of the pilots are currently circulating.

Follow RT for live updates as more details emerge.

The incident onboard the FlyDubai flight to Tel Aviv was “surprising” given the rigorous security protocols employed on such routes, former pilot and aviation expert Cyrille de Lattre has told RT.

Media speculation continues on the nationalities of the pilots involved, as well as the identities of those who ultimately helped land the plane.

Israel Hayom has reported that the off-duty pilots who were traveling as passengers were a Russian and a Ukrainian, initially misidentified as the original captain and co-pilot who endangered the flight.

Other reports have instead suggested that the two were individuals from New Zealand and South Africa.

Israel should intensify its military campaigns across the region in response to the FlyDubai incident, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has said.

“Thank God and the heroic passengers, but Israel’s security doctrine must be taken to the next level,” Ben Gvir was quoted as saying by the Times of Israel. “We must not stop and must continue until achieving total victory in Iran, Lebanon, Gaza and Judea and Samaria,” he added, referring to the biblical name for the West Bank.

The mother of one of the FlyDubai passengers has shared her daughter's account of the incident, describing how the plane seemed to suddenly lose control and how people started screaming. She said several Israelis ran to the cockpit to stop the attacker, while another two pilots who were on the plane eventually took control of the aircraft.

One of the pilots, who is believed to be an Omani national and allegedly responsible for the attack, had worked for FlyDubai for less than a year, according to Israeli broadcaster N12.

Israeli Minister of Transportation Miri Regev has now demanded that FlyDubai stop all flights to Israel and has called for an investigation into whether Dubai violated its aviation agreement with West Jerusalem. The deal prohibits pilots from countries that do not have normalized diplomatic ties with Israel from operating flights to the country.

Israeli officials are now reportedly also examining whether the Omani pilot held dual citizenship, which would have allowed him to board the flight, N12 said.

An unconfirmed video, apparently filmed from inside the aircraft, has circulated on social media, allegedly showing the two pilots of the FlyDubai flight covered in blood. The passengers can be seen trying to provide aid to the two men. WARNING: DISTURBING FOOTAGE

Russia’s General Consulate in Dubai has dismissed reports that one of the pilots was Russian, stating that there were no Russian citizens on board the flight.

According to the latest but still unconfirmed media reports, the pilots are believed to be of Arab and Indian descent.

Some outlets have also claimed that one of the pilots has died from his wounds.

Flight tracking data shows the plane made a sudden descent after the co-pilot allegedly forced it into a dive after attacking the captain. The airliner dropped a whopping 4,500 meters in nearly half a minute, at a speed of over 900km/h.

🚨🇮🇱 The TERRIFYING plunge of the FlyDubai flight...A flight carrying 174 people, including 27 children, dropped 14,125 feet in just 29 seconds (!!) this AM.The co-pilot allegedly forced the aircraft into a dive after attacking the captain, before passengers and crew… https://t.co/cA7mV6GypR

The rapid drop appeared to have damaged the plane’s tail, according to unconfirmed photos said to have been taken after it managed to land safely in Tabuk.

Footage shows flydubai aircraft grounded in Saudi Arabia pic.twitter.com/fJYziNIW3m

One of the passengers of the flight shared his testimony from the plane, describing how the altercation started and how the passengers intervened.

Passenger testimony from the Flydubai flight: pic.twitter.com/1bcQR89HB5

Despite initially stating that there was no hijacking attempt, the Israeli authorities are now reportedly treating the incident as terrorism, according to Channel 12, citing an initial investigation and testimony from passengers.

The broadcaster reported that the co-pilot repeatedly stabbed the captain before crew members and passengers broke into the cockpit and subdued him. Israeli officials are reportedly investigating whether the suspect intended to seize control of the aircraft and crash it.

FlyDubai has not confirmed these details or described the incident as terrorism, saying only that the flight experienced an “incident” and that it is cooperating with the relevant authorities.

Unconfirmed media reports have claimed that the “violent incident” cited by FlyDubai as the reason for the diversion involved a brawl in the cockpit between the two pilots operating the flight.Preliminary reports suggest that one of the pilots attacked the other with a knife and tried to take control of the plane and crash it into the ground.

The nationalities and identities of the two pilots remain unclear, with conflicting reports emerging following the incident.

Initial reports suggested that the captain was Russian and the co-pilot Ukrainian, with some outlets claiming the latter had initiated the cockpit altercation and attempted to crash the aircraft.

Later reports, however, identified the captain as a UAE national and the co-pilot as Omani.FlyDubai and government authorities have not confirmed the identities or nationalities of either pilot.

One passenger interviewed by Israeli media described screaming and blood in the cockpit during the flight, saying one pilot was stabbed and that Israeli passengers helped bring the situation under control.

Despite initially stating that there was no hijacking attempt, the Israeli authorities are now reportedly treating the incident as terrorism, according to Channel 12, citing an initial investigation and testimony from passengers.

The broadcaster reported that the co-pilot repeatedly stabbed the captain before crew members and passengers broke into the cockpit and subdued him. Israeli officials are reportedly investigating whether the suspect intended to seize control of the aircraft and crash it.

FlyDubai has not confirmed these details or described the incident as terrorism, saying only that the flight experienced an “incident” and that it is cooperating with the relevant authorities.

One of the passengers of the flight shared his testimony from the plane, describing how the altercation started and how the passengers intervened.

Passenger testimony from the Flydubai flight: pic.twitter.com/1bcQR89HB5

Flight tracking data shows the plane made a sudden descent after the co-pilot allegedly forced it into a dive after attacking the captain. The airliner dropped a whopping 4,500 meters in nearly half a minute, at a speed of over 900km/h.

🚨🇮🇱 The TERRIFYING plunge of the FlyDubai flight...A flight carrying 174 people, including 27 children, dropped 14,125 feet in just 29 seconds (!!) this AM.The co-pilot allegedly forced the aircraft into a dive after attacking the captain, before passengers and crew… https://t.co/cA7mV6GypR

The rapid drop appeared to have damaged the plane’s tail, according to unconfirmed photos said to have been taken after it managed to land safely in Tabuk.

Footage shows flydubai aircraft grounded in Saudi Arabia pic.twitter.com/fJYziNIW3m

Russia’s General Consulate in Dubai has dismissed reports that one of the pilots was Russian, stating that there were no Russian citizens on board the flight.

According to the latest but still unconfirmed media reports, the pilots are believed to be of Arab and Indian descent.

Some outlets have also claimed that one of the pilots has died from his wounds.

An unconfirmed video, apparently filmed from inside the aircraft, has circulated on social media, allegedly showing the two pilots of the FlyDubai flight covered in blood. The passengers can be seen trying to provide aid to the two men. WARNING: DISTURBING FOOTAGE

One of the pilots, who is believed to be an Omani national and allegedly responsible for the attack, had worked for FlyDubai for less than a year, according to Israeli broadcaster N12.

Israeli Minister of Transportation Miri Regev has now demanded that FlyDubai stop all flights to Israel and has called for an investigation into whether Dubai violated its aviation agreement with West Jerusalem. The deal prohibits pilots from countries that do not have normalized diplomatic ties with Israel from operating flights to the country.

Israeli officials are now reportedly also examining whether the Omani pilot held dual citizenship, which would have allowed him to board the flight, N12 said.

The mother of one of the FlyDubai passengers has shared her daughter's account of the incident, describing how the plane seemed to suddenly lose control and how people started screaming. She said several Israelis ran to the cockpit to stop the attacker, while another two pilots who were on the plane eventually took control of the aircraft.

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