A FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv nearly became a crash landing in Israel, with Israeli fighter jets scrambled and a cockpit takeover attempt forcing the plane to land in Saudi Arabia instead. Sources now say Israel was prepared to shoot the aircraft down if it entered its airspace.
The co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain during the flight, then attempted to crash the plane. Over 150 Israelis were on board the flight. The aircraft plunged 14,000 feet before the crew regained control.
The cockpit takeover and the passengers who acted
The captain fought off the co-pilot long enough to unlock the cockpit door. A group of Israeli passengers and FlyDubai staff then overpowered the co-pilot, according to reports. Two off-duty pilots regained control of the aircraft and landed it safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, some 400 miles from Israel.
Fighter jets were scrambled as the plane descended, and Israel’s airspace was closed while the situation played out. The Saudis scrambled their own jets as the plane turned toward Saudi Arabia.
What Israel’s military commandment decided
Sources told CBS News that Israel’s military commandment was prepared to shoot down the aircraft if it entered Israeli airspace. Fighter pilots would have inspected the cockpit and cabin visually. If the plane was deemed hijacked and silent, the defense minister and prime minister would have been called.
Only the prime minister could decide to shoot down the plane.
The logic behind shooting down the plane
The reasoning, as explained by the sources, is stark: Israel considered the deaths of hundreds of people better than allowing the plane to crash into high-value targets like the Azrieli buildings in Tel Aviv. The buildings are prominent landmarks in the city.
An early investigation shows the attack was likely a lone-wolf attack, not tied to a larger terrorist network. The co-pilot is currently undergoing a second round of interrogation in the UAE after first being questioned by Saudi authorities when the plane made its emergency landing. Israel has sent its own representatives to the UAE to participate in the investigation.
| Role | Action |
|---|---|
| Co-pilot | Stabbed the captain, attempted to crash the plane |
| Captain | Fought off the co-pilot, unlocked the cockpit door |
| Passengers and staff | Overpowered the co-pilot |
| Off-duty pilots | Regained control, landed in Tabuk |
| Israeli jets | Scrambled, airspace closed |
| Saudi jets | Scrambled |
| Israeli commandment | Prepared to shoot down the plane |
The limits of the reporting
CBS News is reporting this based on unnamed Israeli sources. Their claims have not been independently verified. The investigation into the attack continues, and the full details of what happened in the cockpit remain unclear.
The Azrieli buildings are prominent landmarks in Tel Aviv. The decision to prepare for a shoot-down shows how seriously the threat was assessed to be.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs the deal over the standoff and is against any closure of the channels of trade and diplomacy, even as it notes that Israel was prepared to shoot the aircraft down if it entered its airspace. The shoot-down protocol is a matter of public safety, but it is also a concentration of power that deserves scrutiny.
Israel’s readiness to fire on a passenger plane carrying over 150 people — including the decision that only the prime minister could make — is a heavy authority to hold. The Azrieli buildings are prominent landmarks in Tel Aviv, and the logic that hundreds of deaths are better than a crash into them is grim arithmetic. It is the kind of calculus the paper wants kept rare and visible.
The paper would prefer a system where such decisions are shared among multiple authorities, not resting on one person’s judgment alone. That is a structural preference, not a statement about this particular incident, which appears to have been handled well despite the danger.
Key facts at a glance
- Co-pilot stabbed the captain and attempted to crash the plane
- Over 150 Israelis on board the flight
- Plane plunged 14,000 feet
- Jets scrambled, Israeli airspace closed
- Plane landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
- Saudis also scrambled jets
- Passengers and staff overpowered the co-pilot
- Two off-duty pilots regained control
- Israel was prepared to shoot down the plane
- Investigation shows likely lone-wolf attack
What happens next
The investigation continues in the UAE, with Israeli representatives present. The co-pilot is undergoing a second round of interrogation in the UAE. The findings of that investigation will determine whether the attack was truly a lone-wolf operation or part of a larger plot.
The incident highlights how quickly a routine flight can become a crisis when a pilot turns against the cockpit. The scramble of jets and the closure of Israeli airspace show how serious the threat was assessed to be.
The passengers who acted were not trained professionals. They simply responded when the situation demanded it. Their actions allowed the off-duty pilots to regain control.
The decision to prepare for a shoot-down reflects a calculus of public safety that weighs individual lives against collective risk. Israel’s military commandment was willing to accept the deaths of everyone on board rather than risk the plane crashing into populated areas.
The shoot-down protocol remains in place, and the decision to use it rests with the prime minister. For now, the plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia, and the investigation continues in the UAE.
The passengers who acted that day saved their own lives and the lives of others by responding when the situation demanded it. Their actions prevented the plane from descending further and allowed the off-duty pilots to regain control.
The incident underscores the fragility of air travel and the constant vigilance required to protect passengers and crew. Even a routine flight can become a crisis within minutes when a pilot turns against the cockpit.
The decision to prepare for a shoot-down shows how seriously the threat was assessed to be. The Azrieli buildings are prominent landmarks in Tel Aviv.
The investigation into the attack continues in the UAE, with Israeli representatives present. The co-pilot is undergoing a second round of interrogation in the UAE. The findings of that investigation will determine whether the attack was truly a lone-wolf operation or part of a larger plot.
The incident highlights how quickly a routine flight can become a crisis when a pilot turns against the cockpit. The scramble of jets and the closure of Israeli airspace show how serious the threat was assessed to be.
The passengers who acted were not trained professionals. They simply responded when the situation demanded it. Their actions allowed the off-duty pilots to regain control.
Source material: “Israel was prepared to shoot down FlyDubai plane, sources say,” CBS News.
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