Israeli PM Details Hijack Attempt on Flight to Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu reveals details of a hijack attempt on a flight from Dubai to Israel, ending safely in Saudi Arabia.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu detailed a harrowing hijack attempt on a flight from Dubai to Israel on Wednesday, describing how an Israeli passenger and crew member intervened to prevent a potential disaster.
Flight Hijack and Emergency Landing
The incident unfolded aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 traveling from Dubai to Ben Gurion Airport. About an hour and a half into the flight, the aircraft transmitted a general distress signal, code 7700. Minutes later, it switched to code 7500, indicating unlawful interference. The aircraft subsequently disappeared from flight-tracking applications.
The plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after transmitting emergency signals and rapidly losing altitude. Netanyahu confirmed that all passengers are out of danger and that the plane landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
Heroic Intervention by Israeli Passenger and Crew
Netanyahu said he personally spoke with one of the Israeli passengers who helped stop the attack. “He told me that the plane went into a spin and began to dive,” Netanyahu said. “He told me that, somehow or other, he managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members, and that together they neutralized the stabbing pilot while he was trying to sabotage the plane’s systems.”
“Another flight crew on board entered the cockpit and managed to stabilize the plane,” Netanyahu added. The attacking pilot was arrested and is being questioned by Saudi authorities.
Security Measures and Ongoing Assessments
Netanyahu said he has ordered Israel’s security services to prepare for the possibility of additional threats. “We are holding ongoing situation assessments, and we will update you as the situation develops,” he said. He also praised the Israeli passenger and crew members who intervened before the plane could be brought down. “They saved many lives. They prevented a huge disaster,” he said.
Defense Minister Israel Katz described the incident as an attempted “jihadist terrorist attack” and stated that the alleged attacker intended to crash the aircraft with all of its passengers aboard.
Source: Daily Wire
