A flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a co-pilot stabbed the captain and tried to take control of the aircraft, according to CNN, which cited sources. Israeli officials described the incident as a possible attempted terror attack, Reuters reported.
The flight had been heading to Tel Aviv when the cockpit attack occurred, CNN reported. The aircraft was diverted and landed in Saudi Arabia, according to The Jerusalem Post. The BBC reported that the airport said the pilots were taken to hospital following the reported stabbing in the cockpit.
Israel Hayom reported that off-duty pilots on board intervened and that more than 170 Israelis were on the flight. CNN's account, citing sources, identified the co-pilot as the attacker and said the captain was stabbed.
The reports differ in emphasis, and no full account of the sequence of events has been released. Details such as the condition of the captain and the co-pilot, the exact number of people on board, and the status of any investigation have not been confirmed in the material available.
The incident drew attention from multiple outlets because the flight was headed to Israel and because the aircraft landed in Saudi Arabia rather than at its intended destination. Israeli officials, per Reuters, said the episode may have been an attempted terror attack, a characterization that has not been independently confirmed.
What to watch next: official statements from flydubai, Saudi and Israeli authorities, and any update on the condition of the pilots.
