What happened on the Flydubai flight? How was the disaster averted?
Iran has alleged that Mossad orchestrated a 'false flag' operation to blame Tehran for the incident.
A Flydubai flight FZ1073 from the United Arab Emirates to Israel had to divert to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after one pilot attacked the other with a knife in the cockpit. According to Israeli officials, the co-pilot attempted to crash the plane, which was thwarted by passengers and crew. The aircraft landed at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, and all passengers arrived safely in Israel.
The injured captain has been identified as Indian national Smita Machhar. The Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia reported that he is receiving treatment at a hospital in Tabuk and is in stable condition. The embassy is in contact with his family and Saudi authorities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the efforts to save the passengers' lives.
Al Jazeera reported that UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al-Shamsi ordered an investigation on Thursday. According to his office, the investigation team will gather information and evidence to understand the truth, circumstances, details, and motives of the incident. It will also be examined whether it was related to any terrorist activity or carried out as part of a premeditated plan or under someone's instructions.
Netanyahu stated that,
“It would be premature to draw conclusions about the motive. In an interview on Fox News’ ‘Hannity’, he was asked if Iran could be behind it. He said that the suspect is being interrogated in Saudi Arabia and may be transferred to the UAE. Israel will monitor the investigation and may possibly be involved.”
Meanwhile, according to Iranian news agency Fars, Iran has accused that Mossad orchestrated a ‘false flag’ incident related to the aircraft to blame Tehran.
A spokesperson for Flydubai also stated that the cause and motive of the incident are currently unknown. The airline has appealed to avoid speculation until the facts emerge.
Reuters reported that flight FZ1073, heading from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was in Jordanian airspace when it was diverted. Following the incident, Israel deployed fighter jets.
According to officials,
“The struggle began when the co-pilot stabbed the captain. The plane then descended nearly 14,000 feet, or 4,267 meters, in less than 30 seconds.” Netanyahu had previously stated that one pilot attempted to crash the plane after stabbing the other. He also mentioned preparations for other potential threats.
According to a statement broadcast on the Saudi government channel Al Ekhbariya,
“Both the injured captain and the First Pilot were taken to the hospital. Video from inside the aircraft shows the injured captain lying on the cabin floor with multiple knife wounds on his body. A passenger is also seen with a bleeding wound on his head.”
Netanyahu's spokesperson told Reuters that,
“Despite being covered in blood, Captain Machhar managed to press the release button to open the cockpit door. This allowed passengers and crew to enter and subdue the co-pilot. Two other pilots from Flydubai on board then took control and landed the aircraft in Tabuk.”
Netanyahu stated on X that Machhar saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and passengers from other countries. Modi referred to him as a ‘hero’ in his post early Thursday.
“In another video, passengers are seen crying and screaming in panic during the turbulence. A passenger's mother, Yasmin Abukasis, told reporters at Ben Gurion Airport that her daughter thought she was going to die. According to her, the plane began to lose control but was later stabilized.”
“Passenger Dalia Shpiegel told the Israeli newspaper ‘Haaretz’ that some passengers seated in the front realized something was wrong as the plane began to descend and rushed into the cockpit. She said the plane had started to shake uncontrollably about an hour before landing.”
Netanyahu mentioned that he spoke with an Israeli passenger who managed to subdue the pilot attempting to damage the aircraft's systems after reaching the cockpit. He praised the passengers' presence of mind and courage. According to international media, a passenger identified as Yitzhak Lieber, who was among those who subdued the suspect, sent a video to his family. In it, he stated that one pilot is seriously injured and the attacker has been restrained. He referred to the assailant as a ‘terrorist’.
“According to flight tracking data, the plane suddenly descended about two and a half hours after departing from Dubai. FlightRadar24 reported that an emergency code 7700 was initially issued. It was later changed to code 7500, indicating ‘unlawful interference’.”
According to Indian Standard Time (IST), the timeline of the Flydubai Flight is as follows:
- 8:35 AM: Flight FZ1073 departed from Dubai.
- 10:51 AM: The aircraft began to experience altitude fluctuations.
- 10:52 AM: The plane fell more than 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.
- 11:01 AM: An emergency signal 7700 was issued.
- 11:08 AM: The signal was changed to 7500, indicating ‘unlawful interference’.
- 12:15 PM: The aircraft landed at Tabuk Regional Airport in Saudi Arabia.
Tabuk Airport confirmed that most Israeli passengers were sent to Tel Aviv on another flight. According to ‘The Times of Israel’, this flight arrived shortly before 16:00 GMT. Netanyahu arrived at Ben Gurion Terminal-1 to meet the passengers. A separate area was designated for families, and security officials were preparing to interrogate the passengers.
Reuters reported that an Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, identified the suspect as an Omani national. Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed, based on preliminary information, that the suspect intended to crash the plane and kill everyone on board. He referred to it as an ‘attempted jihadist terrorist attack’. However, the motive remains unclear until the investigation is completed.
Reports of the return of the second flight FZ1081 from Dubai to Tel Aviv were incorrect. According to ‘The Times of Israel’, this information circulating in Hebrew media was likely due to a technical glitch on flight tracking websites. The aircraft did not issue any emergency signals and was proceeding normally towards Tel Aviv.
Reuters reported that Netanyahu has instructed to enhance the security of Israeli and non-Israeli airlines. Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu's associates of linking the incident to warnings of attacks ahead of the elections. Elections in Israel are scheduled for October 27. Lapid stated that the warning regarding overseas activities is over two years old and is not related to this incident.
The UAE and Israel normalized relations in 2020, after which the UAE became a popular destination for Israeli tourists. Saudi Arabia and Oman do not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel.