Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the man who stabbed a fellow pilot and tried to hijack a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv had been "Islamist radicalised" and intended to crash the aircraft.
The aircraft, identified as FZ1073, dropped 17,000 feet in under two minutes after an emergency was signalled. Passengers and crew quickly overpowered the assailant and regained control, allowing the plane to land safely at a Saudi airbase.
When the attacker was restrained, passengers heard him shout “kill me, kill me.” Netanyahu said the man made the statement in a “suicidal” tone, confirming his intent to bring the aircraft down.
UAE officials say they are investigating whether the incident is linked to terrorist activity. The flight had departed from Dubai on a plane registered in the UAE and the aircraft was in Saudi airspace when the emergency unfolded.
Both Israeli and UAE officials have hinted at Iranian involvement, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Indian pilot captured in the attack, calling him a hero. India’s ambassador to the UAE visited the wounded pilot in hospital, noting he was recovering well.
Flydubai has suspended all Tel Aviv flights and is conducting its own probe. Israeli transport authorities have launched emergency flights to bring stranded passengers home, and a request was sent to Etihad to increase traffic to Tel Aviv.
