Hours of fear in the sky: What really happened?

Ervin Shkulaku/DUANEWS

A Flydubai flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a violent incident unfolded inside the cockpit, triggering emergency signals and a dramatic loss of altitude.

The Boeing 737 MAX 8, operating as Flight FZ1073, was carrying more than 170 passengers when the incident occurred over the region. The aircraft ultimately landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, and all passengers and crew were accounted for.

What happened inside the cockpit?

According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli officials, one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot and then apparently attempted to crash the aircraft.

Reuters reported that the confrontation began with the stabbing and was followed by a rapid descent of almost 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds. Passengers and crew members then entered the cockpit and helped overpower the attacking pilot.

However, the precise sequence of events and the alleged motive have not yet been independently established.

Flydubai has confirmed that an “altercation occurred in the flight deck”, but the airline has not publicly confirmed the more specific allegations made by Israeli officials.

The aircraft suddenly lost altitude

Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 provides an indication of how unusual the flight became.

The aircraft departed Dubai at approximately 03:05 GMT and climbed to about 34,000 feet.

At around 05:21 GMT, its altitude began fluctuating sharply. The aircraft then transmitted the international emergency code 7700, followed by 7500, the code associated with unlawful interference. It subsequently returned to 7700.

Flightradar24 data showed the aircraft dropping from approximately 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in around 30 seconds, according to reporting by Reuters and other outlets.

The aircraft then changed course toward Saudi Arabia.

Passengers realized something was seriously wrong

Passengers later described a frightening sequence of events.

Reuters spoke with passenger Almog Italie, who said the aircraft initially felt as though it was experiencing severe turbulence. He then noticed commotion toward the front of the cabin.

According to his account, passengers and crew members moved toward the cockpit and helped regain control of the situation.

Israeli officials said that other Flydubai pilots who were traveling on the aircraft as passengers helped take control of the plane after the confrontation.

Those pilots, together with crew members, were then able to fly the aircraft to Tabuk and land safely.

Why did the plane land in Saudi Arabia?

After the emergency signals were transmitted, the aircraft was diverted toward Tabuk, rather than continuing to Tel Aviv.

According to Al Jazeera’s reconstruction of the flight, the aircraft briefly entered Jordanian airspace before turning back toward Saudi Arabia. The crew then requested an emergency landing from air-traffic controllers in Tabuk.

The aircraft landed safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport.

Flydubai said all passengers and crew were safe and accounted for. Saudi airport information reported that both pilots sustained injuries and were taken to hospital for medical treatment.

Nearly all passengers were Israeli

Reuters reported that the flight had 172 passengers, with approximately 169 of them Israeli nationals, according to Israel’s ambassador to the country’s permanent mission in Geneva.

The passengers were eventually transported to Israel on a replacement Flydubai aircraft.

More than 10 hours after the original flight departed Dubai, the passengers arrived at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.

Israel increases security checks on pilots

The incident has already prompted a security response in Israel.

A spokesperson for Netanyahu’s office told Reuters that Israel intends to increase security checks on pilots flying into the country, including identifying pilots operating flights to Israel and conducting additional security screening. Reuters

The move comes as authorities investigate exactly what happened inside the cockpit and why.

Was this terrorism?

That question remains unresolved.

Netanyahu described the incident as an apparent attempt to crash the aircraft. Other Israeli officials have characterized it as a serious security incident.

But there is currently no independently confirmed motive for the alleged attack.

Al Jazeera noted that there has been no independent confirmation of an attempted hijacking, while Flydubai has urged people to avoid premature speculation as the investigation continues.

The nationality of the detained co-pilot has also been reported by Israeli officials but has not been independently verified by Reuters.

For now, the clearest confirmed fact is that a serious cockpit incident occurred, the aircraft was diverted to Saudi Arabia, and everyone on board survived. The more specific allegations about an attempted crash and the motive remain part of an ongoing investigation.