Netanyahu: "Pilot on Israel-Bound Passenger Plane Stabbed Colleague and Tried to Crash It"

[Financial News] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on the 30th of last month (local time) that evidence had emerged suggesting that one pilot had stabbed another and tried to crash a flydubai passenger plane traveling from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Tel Aviv.
Netanyahu said in a video statement, "A very serious security incident occurred this morning." He added, "When the plane was approaching Israel, it appears that one of the pilots stabbed another pilot and deliberately tried to crash the plane with the passengers on board."
He explained, "Nearly all of the passengers on this plane were Israelis." He added, "An Israeli passenger whom I spoke with personally, together with a member of the cabin crew, broke through the cockpit door and managed to stop the pilot in question, who was attempting to damage the aircraft's systems."
Netanyahu added that another crew member entered the cockpit shortly afterward and barely managed to stabilize the aircraft.
Netanyahu said Saudi Arabian authorities were questioning the suspect.
Netanyahu emphasized, "I pay tribute to the heroes who saved numerous lives and showed tremendous courage. They prevented a terrible tragedy."

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed that the incident was an attempted terrorist attack by a jihadist (Islamic holy warrior).
Katz said in a statement, "This was an attempted terrorist attack by a jihadist, but it was thwarted thanks to the courage of several Israeli passengers who entered the cockpit, subdued the terrorist, and directly helped another flight crew member on board regain control of the aircraft."
He added, "According to the initial information we have secured, this terrorist had only one intention: to crash the passenger plane with all the passengers on board."
Earlier, the flydubai passenger plane (FZ1073), carrying about 180 passengers, transmitted a "Code 7700" signal while traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv that morning. The code is used when a serious threat to aircraft operations, such as an aircraft defect, engine failure, fire, or a serious medical emergency involving a passenger, occurs.
Shortly afterward, the aircraft changed its signal to "Code 7500," indicating a hijacking or unlawful interference.
As a result, Israeli Air Force fighter jets were scrambled toward the passenger plane, and Netanyahu and Katz also convened an emergency meeting.
The passenger plane, identified as a Boeing 737 MAX, plunged from 34,000 feet to about 17,000 feet in less than a minute during the incident.
The impact damaged the rudder on the vertical tail, but reserve pilots on board turned the aircraft toward Saudi Arabia and landed it at Tabuk Airport.
According to the operator of Tabuk Airport, the captain and first officer involved were injured and taken to a hospital.

[email protected] Lee Seok-woo, International Affairs Correspondent Reporter