Jerusalem: Israeli security agencies were investigating an incident aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv after the aircraft transmitted an emergency signal and descended sharply before diverting to Saudi Arabia Wednesday.
Israel’s state-owned Kan TV news, citing an Israeli official, reported that Israeli authorities had not ruled out a possible “terrorist incident” and were examining whether one of the two pilots may have tried to crash the aircraft. It said one of the pilots was injured.
In a video circulated on social media, an Israeli passenger with blood on his face said, “We are under attack on the plane. We have overpowered the terrorists. We are about to land.”
Earlier, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the incident was not believed to have been a hijacking. An Israeli official said that the emergency signals were transmitted after the pilots became involved in a physical altercation.
A flydubai spokesperson confirmed that flight FZ 1073 operating from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion International Airport “experienced an incident” while en route. The aircraft later landed in Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia and all passengers are “safe and accounted for,” according to the spokesperson, Xinhua news agency reported.
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Meanwhile, a statement issued by the spokesperson of the Israel Airports Authority said that they have opened a dedicated waiting and information area for the families of passengers on the Flydubai flight, in accordance with the directive of Minister of Transport, Miri Regev.
“The area is located in Terminal 1, in the domestic arrivals hall at Ben Gurion Airport. Family members wishing to come to Ben Gurion Airport are invited to proceed to the designated area in Terminal 1, where they will be able to wait and receive information and updates as developments unfold,” read the statement.
“Israel Airports Authority representatives will be present at the site and will assist family members as needed. We ask members of the public who are not relatives of passengers on the flight to refrain from coming to the area, in order to allow for the orderly and appropriate assistance of the families,” it added.
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