A Flydubai flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted after an attacker entered the cockpit and a co-pilot stabbed a pilot, according to Reuters. Israeli officials said passengers then stopped what they described as an attempt to bring the aircraft down.
Al Jazeera reports that Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, publicly praised the pilot, identifying him as Indian, for his role in saving lives aboard the flight. The BBC also reported that Netanyahu named the pilot a "hero." CNN reported that a passenger said he placed the attacker in a chokehold following a struggle in the cockpit.
The flight had been bound for Tel Aviv when the incident occurred. Passengers later arrived back in Israel, according to the BBC. The reporting does not specify the exact point at which the aircraft was diverted or how many people were on board.
The accounts differ in emphasis: Israeli officials framed the episode as a foiled attempt to crash the plane, while passenger testimony carried by CNN focused on the physical struggle to subdue the attacker. Al Jazeera's coverage centered on the sequence of events aboard the diverted flight.
Further details on the condition of the injured pilot, the identity of the attacker, and the status of any investigation have not been confirmed in the material available. What to watch next: official statements from Flydubai and Israeli authorities clarifying the sequence of events and the condition of those injured.
