Tel Aviv [Israel], September 30 : Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said that the evidence indicates that the flydubai pilot stabbed his fellow pilot, who he claimed intended to crash the plane.
Referring to the Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight, which diverted to Saudi Arabia and made an emergency landing at the Tabuk airport, Netanyahu said an Israeli passenger with whom he spoke, and one of the crew members, managed to stop the pilot as he was attempting to damage the plane’s systems.
In a video statement, as reported by The Times of Israel, Netanyahu described the incident as “an extremely serious security incident.”
He said that another crew member entered the cockpit and managed to stabilise the plane.
He noted that Saudi Arabia’s authorities are interrogating the suspect.
Netanyahu said he “salutes the heroes” who saved the lives of the passengers, according to The Times of Israel.
He also held a meeting with National Security Adviser Shmuel Ben Ezra and Military Secretary Maj Gen Guy Markizeno.
Meanwhile, as per Fox News, Israel's defense minister Israel Katz termed it an "attempted jihadist terrorist attack thwarted only through the bravery of several Israeli passengers."
"The terrorist had one intention: to crash the aircraft with everyone on board,” he added.
The incident that prompted the aircraft to issue an “unlawful interference” signal was apparently caused by an altercation between the pilots aboard the flight, The Times of Israel reported, citing Israeli security sources.
A “severe disaster” was averted, an Israeli official said, as a flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia, amid the reported altercation in the cockpit, Israel’s Channel 12 reported.
Citing Channel 12, The Times of Israel reported that a second team of pilots, in civilian clothes, made the landing. The two passengers prevented one of the pilots from taking over the plane, according to the outlet.
Meanwhile, a flydubai rescue flight from Saudi Arabia to Ben Gurion Airport in Israel took off, The Times of Israel reported, citing the Israel Airports Authority.