Flydubai suspends flights to Israel as incident investigated as possible terror attack – UPDATED-4

Flydubai has suspended flights to Israel pending the completion of an investigation into an incident involving an aircraft operating a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

According to Report, citing Israeli media, Israeli authorities are also reportedly treating the incident as a possible terror attack. Measures are currently being taken to facilitate the passengers' return to Israel as soon as possible. Upon their return, passengers may undergo additional security checks.

According to updated information, one of the pilots is of Indian origin, while the other is of Omani origin. The pilots are not citizens of Russia and Ukraine, as initially reported.

Shortly after the aircraft entered Jordanian airspace, the Omani co-pilot reportedly stabbed the UAE pilot and attempted to forcibly take control of the aircraft. His motives remain unknown.

The possibility that he holds dual citizenship is also being considered. Some sources also reported that the Omani pilot has worked for Flydubai for less than a year. According to information from Saudi Arabia, both pilots have been hospitalized.

Two other pilots on board, who are citizens of South Africa and New Zealand, helped safely land the aircraft at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev instructed the Civil Aviation Authority to examine whether Flydubai had complied with aviation agreements with Israel governing requirements for crew members operating flights to the country.

12:28

One of the pilots of a Flydubai aircraft operating a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv allegedly attempted to cause the aircraft to crash, according to preliminary reports.

According to Report, citing Israeli media, the pilot's motives have not yet been established. However, the co-pilot managed to prevent a tragedy with the assistance of passengers.

Passengers, in turn, reported hearing shouting coming from the cockpit, after which other crew members were forced to intervene. Some passengers said they saw blood in the cockpit.

According to another version of events, one of the pilots was stabbed with a folding knife. Passengers and crew members intervened in the fight and stopped it. The aircraft subsequently made an emergency landing.

11:39

Two pilots - one from Russia and the other from Ukraine - were among the crew members of a FlyDubai flight that made an emergency landing following reports of a hijacking.

According to Report, citing Channel 12, FlyDubai, in turn, said it was surprised by the behavior of the pilots, who got into a fight in the cockpit.

According to the information, one of the pilots is of Russian origin, while the other is Ukrainian.

The aircraft made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.

11:00

A Flydubai flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which earlier issued a hijacking alert, has landed in Saudi Arabia, according to Report.

10:59

A Flydubai flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv transmitted a signal indicating a possible hijacking, according to Ynet.

According to Ynet, cited by Report, there were 174 passengers on board, including 27 children.

The alert was issued after the aircraft entered Jordanian airspace. The plane initially transmitted code 7700, the international emergency squawk, before switching to code 7500, which indicates a possible hijacking.

The aircraft then turned back toward Saudi Arabian airspace and descended to a lower altitude. Israeli Air Force fighter jets were scrambled.

The flight departed Dubai at 7:05 a.m. and was scheduled to land at Ben Gurion Airport at around 9:30 a.m. After approximately 90 minutes in the air, the aircraft began turning back over Saudi Arabia and continued flying at a lower altitude.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister also convened an emergency security meeting, according to the report.

However, a security official stressed that there was "no reliable information indicating that the aircraft had been hijacked" and said that the pilot had activated the emergency signal.