Initial reports said two pilots fought in the cockpit and that one was armed with a knife.
A FlyDubai co-pilot stabbed the captain of an Israel-bound flight and appeared to try to crash the plane with passengers aboard, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, before the aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
Israeli officials are assessing whether the incident was a possible attempted terrorist attack, though FlyDubai said the motive has not been established and remains under formal investigation.
The aircraft landed safely at Tabuk Airport after sending a distress call about two and a half hours into the flight. Public flight-tracking data showed the plane dropped about 17,400 feet in less than two minutes before changing course near the Jordanian border.
Initial reports said two pilots fought in the cockpit and that one was armed with a knife. Israeli officials told CNN they suspect the co-pilot, identified by one official as an Omani national, tried to hijack the flight.
FlyDubai said a crew member diverted the plane after an altercation broke out in the cockpit. The airline said on-duty FlyDubai crew members traveling on the flight secured the aircraft and that the plane landed safely in Tabuk.
Saudi state television reported the captain and first officer were injured and taken to a hospital. Passengers told Israeli media they heard shouting from the front of the plane before it sharply descended. One passenger said there were moments she believed she was going to die.
Attorney General Todd Blanche said American officials were “coordinating very closely with our counterparts overseas” as the investigation continued, but declined to speculate on what happened. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said early reports were conflicting and stressed that officials had “no credible threats to us right now” tied to the incident.
FlyDubai confirmed Flight FZ 1073 experienced an incident while en route to Ben Gurion Airport and said it is working with authorities. The airline has sent two replacement aircraft to Tabuk to assist passengers and crew.
Israel’s prime minister and defense minister held a security consultation following the incident. Officials considered sending a military or civilian aircraft to return passengers home, but an Israeli official told CNN Saudi Arabia would not allow Israeli planes to collect them. Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have diplomatic relations.
Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the situation was under control and officials were working to return passengers home.
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Editor's note: The Associated Press contributed to this article.
