A flydubai rescue flight carrying around 174 passengers landed at Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport after their Tel Aviv-bound flight made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia following an altercation between the pilots.
After the landing, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also met the passengers.
The aircraft, carrying around 180 Israeli passengers, landed safely at Tabuk.
Israel’s air force was preparing to send Super Hercules aircraft to Saudi Arabia to pick up the passengers, according to sources cited by Reuters. The aircraft’s captain and first officer were injured and taken to hospital, according to a statement from Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, carried by Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya television. Netanyahu said evidence indicated that the flydubai pilot had stabbed his fellow pilot and claimed that the pilot intended to crash the plane. Referring to the flight, which diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed in Tabuk, Netanyahu said an Israeli passenger he spoke to and a crew member managed to stop the pilot while he was attempting to damage the aircraft’s systems. In a video statement, Netanyahu described the incident as “an extremely serious security incident”, according to The Times of Israel. He said another crew member entered the cockpit and managed to stabilise the aircraft.
However, Riyadh turned down the request. Saudi Arabia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. An investigation into the incident is underway.