Flight to Israel diverted to Saudi Arabia after ‘violent incident’

A flight from Dubai to Israel had to be diverted to Saudi Arabia after an incident occurred in the cockpit of the plane that raised concerns about a possible hijacking.

Israeli media reported that security officials said there was a feud between the pilots on the FlyDubai, The Associated Press reported. According to CNN, Israeli officials called it a “violent incident” which could have been “a terror attack attempt.”

Update 9:55 a.m. ET, Sept. 30: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the pilot who allegedly stabbed another pilot has been arrested, the AP reported.

The prime minister said the pilot who allegedly attacked the other also tried to crash the plane.

Meanwhile, more details are emerging about the flight diversion.

A FlyDubai spokesperson told CNN that a crew member diverted the flight and landed it in Saudi Arabia.

The spokesperson said the plane was “successfully secured by on-duty Flydubai crew traveling on the flight,” and landed safely at Tabuk Airport. The company then sent two planes to the airport to help the passengers and crew.

At this early stage, the underlying reasons and motives behind this event are unknown and remain subject to a formal investigation,” the spokesperson told CNN.

“We urge all parties to refrain from premature speculation while authorities gather the facts.”

Original report: A passenger told Israeli media that one pilot was stabbed, CNN reported. It is not known what started the argument, the AP reported.

Both the captain and first officer were injured and were taken to a hospital, Saudi Arabia’s aviation operator Cluster2 said in a statement posted on social media.

Passenger Miriam Ohayon told i24, “We just heard screams, and then the cockpit door opened and we saw a huge amount of blood,” The New York Times reported.

She said passengers subdued the co-pilot and a nurse and doctor treated the injured pilot, the newspaper reported.

FlyDubi released a statement, saying, “Our teams are working closely with the relevant authorities. Further updates will be issued as additional confirmed details become available.”

The flight transmitted an emergency alert, fell 17,400 feet in two minutes and made an erratic circle near the Jordanian border.

It eventually landed in Tabuk, a civilian and military base in Saudi Arabia, the AP reported.

Israel sent up warplanes in case the incident was a hijacking. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been warning about alleged security threats.

The incident is under investigation.

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