What happened on diverted Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv?

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A flight from the United Arab Emirates to Israel was diverted to Saudi Arabia after issuing a distress signal in what appeared to be a hijacking attempt on Wednesday.

The Flydubai flight FZ1073 was diverted as it flew from Dubai to Tel Aviv through Jordanian airspace, prompting Israel to deploy warplanes, the Reuters news agency reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said one of the pilots had stabbed the other and then tried to crash the plane. He added that Israel was preparing for other “potential threats” after the incident.

There has been no official confirmation of a hijacking attempt, however.

Flydubai said an altercation had occurred on the flight deck and that all passengers were safe and accounted for. The plane was secured by on-duty crew travelling onboard, it added.

“At this early stage, the underlying reasons and motives behind this event are unknown and remain subject to a formal investigation,” a Flydubai spokesperson said in a statement. “We urge all parties to refrain from premature speculation while authorities gather the facts.”

At Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk airport, where the plane landed, officials said both the plane’s captain and first officer were taken to hospital after sustaining injuries, according to a statement from the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz international airport in Tabuk, carried by the Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya television.

本文の著作権はAl Jazeeraにあります。