FlyDubai flight spirals into chaos. What we know and what remains a mystery
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A FlyDubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 approaches Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on Sept. 30. Photo: Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images
A FlyDubai flight bound for Israel erupted into chaos after a pilot stabbed another pilot and sent the plane spiraling thousands of feet.
The big picture: The midair emergency triggered a multinational security response, but key details about what happened inside the cockpit remained unclear.
Driving the news: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement Wednesday that the plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
- It happened, he said, after one of the pilots made a violent attempt to control the plane and crash it.
- The alleged assailant was arrested after the plane landed, Netanyahu said, and all passengers survived.
The passengers have now safely landed in Israel.
Here's what we know and don't know.
What we know about the FlyDubai incident
By the numbers: The Tel Aviv-bound plane left the United Arab Emirates on Sept. 30, per FlightAware.
- Data from flight tracking service Flightradar24 shows that the plane hit the emergency signal, then the unlawful interference alarm and then an emergency signal again.
- The plane dropped more than 17,000 feet in altitude during this time, the data shows.
- The emergency warnings prompted Israel to send fighter jets toward the aircraft, AP reports. They turned away before the plane landed.
What they're saying: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called the incident "an attempted jihadist terror attack" that was only stopped by "the heroism of several Israeli passengers," per multiple reports.
- Katz said the passengers broke into the cockpit, took down the pilot and returned control to crew members who were still on the plane.
The Saudi-company Cluster2, which manages the country's airports, said in a statement that the flight's captain and first officer were being treated for injuries at the hospital.
- "The relevant authorities are conducting the necessary investigations into the incident," the airport said.
Passengers described frightening moments on board, telling the New York Times they feared the aircraft was about to crash.
What we don't know
Zoom out: Major questions remain about the cockpit incident, including the motive.
- CBS reports that an Israeli security official said the incident may have resembled the Sept. 11 attacks. But the desired outcome of the incident remains unclear.
- It's also unclear if the pilot was working alone, the official told CBS.
There are also conflicting reports about what happened inside the cockpit and why the plane suddenly plunged.
- Some reports say the co-pilot attacked the pilot, while others suggest there was a fight between them.
It's also unclear who landed the plane and how passengers got involved.
- Many reports agree that passengers intervened and took control of the flight, only to give it back to the crew.
- Video footage reviewed by AP shows passengers guarding the cockpit. According to AP, Israeli security personnel and air marshals intervened, but their identities have not been disclosed.
Yes, but: A FlyDubai spokesperson told the New York Times that the crew members themselves secured the aircraft. It's also unclear how many passengers got involved.
- FlyDubai did not respond to Axios' request for comment Wednesday.
It's unclear how the weapon got aboard, too.
- Netanyahu says one pilot stabbed another, but authorities have not publicly identified the weapon or explained how it was brought aboard the aircraft.
