FlyDubai co-pilot arrested after attempted crash of Dubai-Tel Aviv flight

A FlyDubai flight bound for Tel Aviv was forced to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after a co-pilot attacked the captain with a knife and attempted to crash the aircraft. The captain managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers and two off-duty pilots on board to restrain the attacker and regain control of the plane. All 174 occupants survived, with the captain and two crew members receiving minor injuries.

The co-pilot, whose identity has not been released, is an Omani citizen, according to an Omani official cited by CBS News. Motive for the assault remains unclear. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident as resembling a suicide attempt and suggested the attacker may have been influenced by Islamist radicalisation, though he offered no further details. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called the event an "attempted jihadist terror attack," while U.S. President Donald Trump speculated a possible link to Iran.

Saudi authorities detained the co-pilot and later transferred him to the United Arab Emirates for further questioning, a move reportedly confirmed by the UAE president. Israeli officials said they would participate in the interrogation, but the specific agencies involved were not disclosed.