The Flydubai aircraft carrying the 174 passengers of flight FZ1073 back to Israel landed at Ben Gurion Airport early in the evening, several hours after their emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. 

Among them were 27 children and, according to Israeli media, 166 Israelis. Benjamin Netanyahu went to Ben Gurion Airport to welcome the passengers. 

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The passengers remained on the ground for about eight hours, while several initially refused to board a Flydubai aircraft again. They eventually boarded after the Mossad and Shin Bet vetted and approved the crew of the return flight.

The return trip was made on an aircraft operated by the Emirati airline, as Saudi Arabia rejected an Israeli request to allow Israeli Air Force Super Hercules military aircraft to land in Tabuk and pick up the passengers. According to Israeli sources, the option of sending a chartered, unmarked aircraft was even considered, though no such permission was ultimately granted. 

Meanwhile, the picture has also become clearer regarding the initial reports of a “dispute between the pilots.” Netanyahu described the incident as an “extremely serious security incident” and stated that one of the pilots stabbed the other and “most likely attempted to crash the aircraft with all passengers on board.” 

Israeli Defense Minister Katz went a step further, describing the incident as “an attempted jihadist terrorist attack.” The co-pilot, identified by Israeli sources as an Omani national, attempted to take control of the aircraft and crash it. Passengers and a crew member stormed the cockpit and subdued him, while a second flight crew traveling on the aircraft took over the controls and made a safe landing. The suspect was arrested by Saudi authorities, and both pilots were taken to a hospital. 

The aircraft had previously lost nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds and transmitted the code 7500, the international code for unlawful interference with an aircraft, which is also used in cases of hijacking. Consequently, it was initially treated as a potential hijacking; the Israeli government now describes it as an attempted terrorist crash.

A video released on social media shows a bloodied passenger saying that they prevented a hijacking and that they need help, as the plane was diverted and is set to land in Saudi Arabia.

In another video, passengers can be heard screaming as the aircraft appears to be losing altitude rapidly.

READ ALSO: “We’ve just neutralized the hijacker! He tried to crash the plane”: Shocking video taken by a passenger on the flight to Tel Aviv | AlphaNews