We and our partners do the following data processing based on your consent: store and/or access information on a device, personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development Live: FlyDubai suspends flights to and from Israel after pilot attack Israeli passengers leave the FlyDubai plane after touching down in Tel Aviv, on September 30, 2026. © Ariel Schalit, AP FlyDubai, the budget airline owned by Emirates Airlines, has temporarily suspended flights to and from Israel after one of its pilot stabbed his copilot midflight in what appears to have been an attempt to crash the Tel Aviv-bound passenger yet. Israel’s defence minister has labelled the incident as a thwarted “terror attack”. Follow our liveblog for all the latest developments.
FlyDubai said its flights to and from Israel would be suspended while an investigation into the incident takes place. A FlyDubai flight from the United Arab Emirates to Israel was on Wednesday derouted to Dubai for an emergency landing after the pilot allegedly stabbed his copilot in an apparent bid to crash the plane. The distress call came at 8:44am local time, about two and a half hours into the flight.
It had some 170, mainly Israeli, passengers onboard. The aircraft then swiftly lost altitude – dropping around 10,000 metres to 5,100 metres in the span of about a minute. It then circled close to the Jordanian border before landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, about an hour later.
Aviation experts said they were surprised that the plane did not crash after a descent so extreme that most of the rudder was ripped off the tail. According to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a passenger and a crew member managed to enter the cockpit, enabling other crew members to fly the plane to a safe landing. Both pilots suffered injuries that required hospital treatment.
Netanyahu said one of the pilots have been arrested by Saudi Arabia. _Good morning and welcome to our liveblog on the Israel-bound FlyDubai flight that was derouted to Saudi Arabia yesterday after the pilot is thought to have stabbed his copilot mid-flight._ Netanyahu says Israel is preparing for other ‘potential threats’ after pilot tried to crash plane Pilot who hit Beijing's tallest tower wrote about 'ending his life', officials say 1. 1 ## Trump 'surprised' UK granted bail to suspects in alleged airbase terror plot Europe 2. 2 ## Eiffel Tower chief to step down over removal of women staff during Hindu group's visit France 3. 3 ## 87-year-old Spanish pensioner whose eviction sparked protests to return home Europe 4. 4 ## US forces leave Iraq, raising fears of Iran-backed militias amid power vacuum Middle East 5. 5 ## Video shows Iranian police beating, sexually humiliating teenage detainee 6. 6 ## Poll shows French far-right leader Marine Le Pen widening lead ahead of 2027 presidential vote France © 2026 Copyright France 24 - All rights reserved. France 24 is not responsible for the content of external websites. Audience ratings certified by ACPM.ACPM The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore.
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