Benjamin Netanyahu says a flydubai co-pilot stabbed the pilot and tried to crash a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight carrying mostly Israeli passengers, before a passenger and crew member intervened and subdued him.
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Key facts
- Netanyahu said a flydubai co-pilot stabbed the other pilot and tried to crash the plane as it approached Israel.
- The flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv and carried mostly Israeli passengers.
- A passenger and crew member broke into the cockpit to stop the attempt, according to Netanyahu.
- CNBC reported the plane dove almost 14,000 feet in 30 seconds and the co-pilot was arrested.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a co-pilot on a flydubai flight carrying mostly Israeli passengers stabbed the other pilot and tried to crash the aircraft as it approached Israel, according to NPR.
“As the plane was approaching Israel, one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot and tried to crash the plane with everyone on board,” Netanyahu said, as quoted by NPR. He added that a passenger and crew member broke into the cockpit to stop the attempt.
The flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, according to CNBC. The outlet reported that passengers subdued the co-pilot after he stabbed the pilot and attempted to bring the plane down.
CNBC reported that the plane dove almost 14,000 feet in 30 seconds during the incident. According to the outlet, the co-pilot was arrested after being subdued by passengers.
The accounts from NPR and CNBC center on statements attributed to Israeli officials, including Netanyahu. The sources describe the intervention by a passenger and crew member as decisive in stopping the attempt.
Beyond the statements reported by NPR and CNBC, further official details about the identities of those on board and the outcome for the injured pilot were not provided in the available sources.
Why it matters
An alleged deliberate attempt to crash a commercial airliner, if confirmed, raises serious questions about cockpit security and aviation safety. Because the flight involved a route between Dubai and Tel Aviv and mostly Israeli passengers, the incident also carries potential diplomatic and regional significance.
Frequently asked questions
What happened on the flydubai flight?
According to NPR and CNBC, a co-pilot stabbed the pilot and tried to crash the plane as it approached Israel, before being subdued by a passenger and crew member.
Where was the flight going?
CNBC reported the flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv and carried mostly Israeli passengers.
Was the co-pilot arrested?
CNBC reported that the co-pilot was arrested after being subdued by passengers.
Timeline
- Passengers overcame pilot who tried to crash Flydubai flight, Israel says
CNBC Top News: The co-pilot of a Flydubai plane has been arrested after he tried to crash a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv before being subdued by passengers.
- Passengers overcame co-pilot who tried to crash Flydubai flight, Netanyahu says
CNBC Top News: Passengers subdued the co-pilot of a Flydubai flight after he stabbed the pilot and tried to crash the plane, which dove almost 14,000 feet in 30 seconds.
- Netanyahu says a flydubai pilot tried to crash a plane of mostly Israeli passengers
NPR News: "As the plane was approaching Israel, one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot and tried to crash the plane with everyone on board," but a passenger and crew member broke into the cockpit to stop it.
- Israel says a flydubai pilot tried to crash a plane of mostly Israeli passengers
NPR News: "As the plane was approaching Israel, one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot and tried to crash the plane with everyone on board," but a passenger and crew member broke into the cockpit to stop it.