An Australian couple was on board a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv that was diverted following an alleged stabbing incident between two pilots. The Israeli embassy in Australia confirmed on Thursday that the passengers were a Jewish couple from Sydney.
The aircraft, travelling from the United Arab Emirates to Israel, was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Israeli officials identified one of the pilots, an Omani citizen, as the alleged attacker. During the incident, the plane reportedly descended approximately 17,000 feet in two minutes.
A passenger, Yaniv Hayoun, recounted hearing screams and feeling pressure as the plane dived. He stated that he and other passengers entered the cockpit, where he restrained the alleged attacker who was at the instrument panel. Israeli Ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, drew parallels to the 11 September attacks and suggested the incident was an attempt to undermine the Abraham Accords. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated it was too early to determine who was behind the incident.