Passengers arrive in Israel after Flydubai flight onboard altercation

Passengers from a Flydubai flight that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain in the cockpit arrived on Wednesday at Ben Gurion Airport, outside Tel Aviv, aboard another Flydubai flight, reported Xinhua.

Israel's main television channels broadcast their arrival at Ben Gurion Airport live, where they were met by paramedics and social workers. Video footage from inside the plane after it landed showed passengers breaking into song and applause.

One of the passengers, a man in his 50s, sustained minor injuries to his upper body.

The original Dubai-Tel Aviv flight made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with about 180 passengers on board, after a co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and the aircraft plunged sharply.

Saudi authorities said both pilots were hospitalized after the landing. They have not publicly confirmed the cause of the incident.

A Flydubai spokesperson said in a statement that the "reasons and motives behind this event remain subject to formal investigation."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said the suspected attacker had apparently tried to crash the aircraft, while Defense Minister Israel Katz described the incident as an attempted "jihadist terror attack."

According to an i24 News correspondent, Ariel Oseran, the Indian Captain was identified as Smit Machchhar, reported ANI.

The flight initially transmitted squawk code 7700, an international emergency signal, before sending code 7500, which indicates a hijacking or unlawful interference, according to flight-tracking data cited by The Times of Israel. The 7500 signal prompted Israeli Air Force fighter jets to scramble toward the aircraft. However, hijacking was later ruled out by Israeli authorities.

The flight was eventually landed safely by passengers in civilian clothes.

Tzika Manes, one of three Israelis who reportedly subdued the flydubai copilot, told Israel’s Channel 12 that it took them 20-25 minutes to subdue the accused pilot.

“It was a very difficult scenario… but because we’re Israelis, we responded quickly,” he said. He claimed that the Indian pilot fell out of the cockpit door as his copilot was allegedly stabbing him. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates' General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said Wednesday that an investigation was underway into an incident aboard a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv that prompted the aircraft to divert to Saudi Arabia, reported Xinhua.

The incident occurred aboard flight FZ 1073 while it was en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv, UAE media reported, citing the GCAA. An onboard altercation led to a security incident, which was brought under control before the aircraft diverted and made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.

Some members of the flight crew were injured in the incident and taken to a hospital in Saudi Arabia for medical treatment, according to the GCAA.

The authority said investigators were working to determine the causes and circumstances of the incident.

Earlier Wednesday, Flydubai said in a statement posted on its official website that the aircraft landed safely at Tabuk Airport, with all passengers safe and accounted for.