Flydubai pilot investigated over possible attempt to crash Tel Aviv-bound flight

Authorities are investigating whether a Flydubai pilot tried to crash an Israel -bound flight after it plummeted several thousand feet on Wednesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that one pilot had stabbed another pilot mid-flight, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia . Flydubai confirmed that all passengers were safe.

Israel's defense minister, Israel Katz, said that "an attempted jihadist terror attack" had been thwarted after several passengers intervened.

Flydubai said flight FZ 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv experienced an "incident" while en route and landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The aircraft was a Boeing 737 MAX 8.

"The aircraft has landed safely in Tabuk Airport and all passengers are safe and accounted for," a Flydubai spokesperson said.

Later, a Flydubai spokesperson said that the reasons for an altercation that "occurred in the flight deck of flight FZ 1073" remained unknown and were under formal investigation.

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

本文の著作権はDeutsche Welleにあります。