Passenger on rerouted flydubai flight claims pilot tried to crash plane
A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia after an alleged violent altercation between the pilot and co-pilot. Passengers reported that one pilot attempted to crash the plane, though no injuries were reported among the passengers.
Why it matters
This incident raises significant concerns regarding aviation security and the mental health screening of commercial airline pilots.
A passenger on a rerouted flydubai flight that was bound for Tel Aviv said one of the pilots tried to crash the plane and kill everyone on board, after both pilots were found to be wounded on landing in Saudi Arabia.
In the first comment by an official, Israel's far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, alleged an attempted "terrorist" attack in the incident, in which none of the passengers reported injuries.
The flydubai plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia's Tabuk "at 9:45 a.m. (0645 GMT), and its captain and copilot were found to have injuries and were transported to hospital", a statement from the company operating the airport said.
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