Israel Was Prepared to Intercept Flydubai Plane if It Continued Toward Tel Aviv: Report

Israel scrambled fighter jets and was prepared to intercept a Flydubai aircraft if it continued flying towards Tel Aviv following a stabbing incident inside the cockpit, according to a CBS News report. Flight 1073 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 when co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with a knife and attempted to take control of the aircraft.

The situation escalated after the plane rapidly lost around 16,000 feet of altitude in little more than 30 seconds. The sudden descent raised concerns in Israel that the incident could potentially involve a hijacking or an attack targeting the country. Israeli Air Force officials reportedly tried to establish radio contact with the cockpit but received no response. Authorities activated an emergency protocol, established a command centre and temporarily closed Israeli airspace as fighter jets were sent into the air.

The Israeli jets were later called back after officials determined that the aircraft had changed direction towards Saudi Arabia and was heading for an emergency landing. Saudi Arabia also reportedly deployed fighter aircraft in response to the unfolding situation. According to CBS News, Israeli fighter pilots had been prepared to approach the Flydubai aircraft if it had continued towards Tel Aviv. Their initial objective would have been to establish visual contact with those inside the cockpit and determine whether the aircraft had been hijacked and what was happening on board.

The report said that if a hijacking had been confirmed and there had been no response from those controlling the aircraft, the matter could have been escalated to Israel's Defence Minister and Prime Minister. The final authority to order the destruction of the aircraft would have rested with the prime minister.

Israeli officials told CBS News that, in the event of a successful hijacking with the aircraft continuing towards Israel, they were confident that the jet could have been intercepted before reaching Tel Aviv. Such an intervention could have prevented a potential attack on sensitive locations, including Ben Gurion Airport and the Azrieli Centre.

The crisis eventually ended after Captain Machchhar, despite suffering serious injuries during an assault involving a crash axe, managed to open the cockpit door. Passengers then overpowered al-Hammami, while two off-duty pilots who were travelling as passengers took control of the aircraft. The plane was subsequently diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, bringing the tense incident to an end.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.