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World

Netanyahu says flydubai co-pilot 'tried to crash the plane' as Israel treats FZ1073 as terror attack

Netanyahu says the FZ1073 co-pilot "apparently tried to crash the plane with everyone on board" and confirmed the pilot's arrest in Saudi Arabia, as Israel's defence minister calls it an "attempted jihadist terror attack".

By James Calloway · · 1 min read

This is a follow-up to our earlier reports on flydubai flight FZ1073, which diverted to Tabuk after a cockpit stabbing.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message that one pilot had stabbed the other and “apparently tried to crash the plane with everyone on board”. Calling passengers “heroes” who “prevented a major disaster”, he said: “The stabbing pilot has been arrested and is currently being interrogated by the Saudi authorities.” He said he had instructed the security establishment to prepare for additional “potential threats”.

Defence Minister Israel Katz described the incident as an “attempted jihadist terror attack”, saying “the terrorist had one intention: to crash the plane with all its passengers”. Two Israeli officials, speaking anonymously, told Reuters they assessed the incident as an attempted “terror attack”, not related to any mental-health issue with either pilot. Israeli officials have launched a terrorism investigation.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said a “terrorist” had planned to crash the plane and “murder the 180 Israelis on board”. Passenger Yitzhak Lieber said: “We overpowered the terrorist and he is tied up.” A passenger told the BBC two off-duty relief pilots, one British and one European, took the controls and landed the aircraft.

Flydubai said the reasons for the altercation “remain unknown” and were subject to a formal investigation, urging all parties to “refrain from premature speculation while authorities gather the facts”.

Sources

More on this topic: all World stories

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