Israel's leader says a pilot stabbed a fellow pilot and tried to crash a Tel Aviv-bound flight, with a passenger and crew members subduing him before the plane was diverted to land safely in Saudi Arabia.
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Key facts
- Israel says a pilot stabbed the other pilot aboard a flight bound for Tel Aviv.
- The pilot attempted to crash the aircraft, which went into a spin and began to plunge.
- A passenger and crew members entered the cockpit and subdued the pilot.
- The flight was diverted and landed in Saudi Arabia.
- The account is attributed to Israel's leader, according to NPR.
A pilot stabbed another pilot and attempted to crash a flight headed to Tel Aviv, Israel says, according to NPR. The account describes a mid-air emergency that was averted after passengers and crew intervened.
As the plane went into a spin and began to plunge, a passenger and crew members forced their way into the cockpit and subdued the pilot, Israel’s leader says. Their intervention stopped the aircraft from crashing.
After the pilot was subdued, the flight was diverted and landed in Saudi Arabia, according to the account relayed by Israel’s leader. The reporting from NPR does not detail the condition of the pilot who was stabbed or the number of people aboard.
The reporting attributes the account of events to Israel’s leader. The available sources do not provide further details about the airline’s full response, the identities of those involved, or the circumstances that preceded the attack.
NPR’s coverage focuses on the sequence in which the aircraft destabilized and was then brought back under control before landing. Additional specifics beyond those described have not been provided in the source material.
Why it matters
An attempt to deliberately crash a commercial flight represents a serious aviation security incident with potential consequences for passenger safety and airline protocols. The account, attributed to Israel's leader, underscores how intervention by passengers and crew can be decisive in an in-flight emergency.
Frequently asked questions
What happened on the flight to Tel Aviv?
Israel says a pilot stabbed the other pilot and tried to crash the Tel Aviv-bound flight. The plane went into a spin and began to plunge before a passenger and crew subdued the pilot, according to NPR.
Where did the plane land?
After the pilot was subdued, the flight was diverted and landed in Saudi Arabia, according to the account attributed to Israel's leader.
Who stopped the attempted crash?
A passenger and crew members entered the cockpit and subdued the pilot, Israel's leader says.
Timeline
- A pilot stabs the other pilot and tries to crash their flight to Tel Aviv, Israel says
NPR News: As the plane went into a spin and began to plunge, a passenger and crew got into the cockpit, subdued the pilot and diverted the flight to land in Saudi Arabia, Israel's leader says.
- A pilot stabs another pilot and tries to crash their flight to Tel Aviv, Israel says
NPR News: As the plane went into a spin and began to plunge, a passenger and crew members got into the cockpit, subdued the pilot and diverted the flight to land in Saudi Arabia, Israel's leader says.