Overview
- A Flydubai Boeing 737 bound for Tel Aviv sent emergency transponder signals and rapidly lost altitude before diverting to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia after a cockpit altercation in which one pilot stabbed the other.
- Passengers and a second crew who were travelling in the cabin entered the cockpit, restrained the suspected attacker and allowed other pilots on board to land the aircraft safely.
- Israeli leaders, including the prime minister and defence minister, say they regard the episode as a probable attempted terror attack and have mobilised security and intelligence agencies for follow-up.
- The suspected attacker was detained and is being questioned by Saudi authorities while the wounded captain and first officer were taken to hospital and most of the roughly 174–180 predominantly Israeli passengers were flown back to Tel Aviv.
- The case is under ongoing multiagency investigation and could affect flight operations and regional security coordination given the unusual diversion to Saudi territory and unresolved questions about motive and crew nationalities.