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FlyDubai flight to Tel Aviv diverted: Emirati airline suspends flights to and from Israel during investigation
As flight FZ1073 from Dubai to the Israeli city approached the Jordanian border on Wednesday, the journey suddenly turned into a nightmare when the plane began to rapidly lose altitude, due to an attack on one of the pilots.
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What happened on the FlyDubai flight to Tel Aviv on Wednesday September 30? The plane had to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, announced the airline, which said it was not aware of the reasons for the altercation that occurred in the cockpit of the plane. “At this stage, the reasons and motivations behind this event are unknown and are subject to official investigation,” FlyDubai said in a statement, calling on “the various parties to refrain from premature speculation while the authorities establish the facts.” The passengers of the flight finally landed in Israel late Wednesday afternoon.
FlyDubai suspends flights to Israel. The Emirati airline announced the suspension of its flights to and from Israel while it conducts an investigation. “Following the incident involving flight FZ 1073 on September 30, and in coordination with the relevant authorities, flydubai flights to and from Israel will be suspended,” a company spokesperson said.
The courage of the Indian pilot praised. Benjamin Netanyahu paid tribute to the pilot of the FlyDubai flight when it was his co-pilot who wanted to cause a crash. “I salute the Indian pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar, for his extraordinary courage. Although he was stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back (...) thereby avoiding an air disaster. He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and nationals of other countries,” the Israeli Prime Minister wrote on X. The pilot is being treated in a Saudi hospital according to his embassy
An alternative line. Israeli airline El Al announced on Wednesday that it plans to resume flights to Dubai from November, after an eight-month suspension due to the war in the Middle East. “There will be at least two El Al flights per day to Dubai. The resumption of operations remains subject to the approval of the authorities” of Israel and the Emirates, the company said in a press release.
“It was like very strong turbulence.” The passengers of the FlyDubai flight landed in Israel, their original destination. They were able to testify upon their arrival. “It was like very strong turbulence, except there was no turbulence,” Almog Italy told AFP. The passenger compares the sensation caused by losing several thousand feet of altitude in a few seconds before the aircraft stabilizes to a "roller coaster." There was "a lot of blood" and the passengers "were very stressed, they thought they were going to die", relates Miryam Shira Ohayon.
Benyamin Netanyahu meeting the passengers of the flight. The Israeli Prime Minister visited Tel Aviv Airport to meet those on board the FlyDubai flight as they arrived at their original destination. A video released by his services shows the leader taking in his arms a man named Yaniv Hayun, presented as one of the passengers who managed to enter the cockpit where an altercation had broken out. “I see a lion, I see a great hero,” declared Benjamin Netanyahu.
An altercation between the pilots in the cockpit. According to the first versions, the co-pilot would have tried to rush the plane to the ground. The pilot then allegedly tried to control him with a knife, supported in the fight by passengers. According to Tabuk airport in the northwest of the kingdom, where the plane landed, the pilot and co-pilot were injured and were hospitalized. According to Israeli press reports, two other pilots, who were on the flight as passengers, took control of the plane and landed it.
No hypotheses excluded, including “terrorist”. A “terrorist tried to crash a plane to assassinate the 180 Israelis who were on board,” far-right Israeli Minister Itamar Ben Gvir then declared at midday. This diversion of the plane comes in the middle of a regional conflict but also in the run-up to elections in Israel. “The serious incident on board the FlyDubai flight was an attempted jihadist terrorist attack,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said.
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#FLYDUBAI Donald Trump says he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the diverted FlyDubai flight. He evokes an “incredible story”. The American president believes that the co-pilot of the plane was "maybe a terrorist or maybe a crazy person", during an exchange with the press at the White House.
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#FLYDUBAI The Emirati airline FlyDubai announced the suspension of its flights to and from Israel, while it conducts an investigation after the attack on a flight between Dubai and Tel Aviv.
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#FLYDUBAI The Israeli Foreign Ministry tells its diplomats that the incident on a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was aimed at undermining relations with the United Arab Emirates. This is "an attempted terrorist attack targeting Israelis, the United Arab Emirates and the Abraham Accords," said the ministry's director general, Eden Bar Tal, during an online briefing.
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#FLYDUBAIIsrael and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to strengthen their cooperation “against extremist elements” threatening the two countries, declares the head of Israeli diplomacy after an interview with his Emirati counterpart. “We expressed our mutual determination to strengthen relations between our two countries at all levels and to cooperate against extremist elements who seek to harm the security” of the region, according to a statement from Israeli Minister Gideon Saar after his meeting with Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
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#FLYDUBAI Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv with passengers coming from Saudi Arabia where their plane had been diverted. A video released by his services shows the leader taking in his arms a man named Yaniv Hayun, presented as one of the passengers who managed to enter the cockpit where an altercation had broken out.
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It's 8 p.m., here's a new update on the titles:
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#FLYDUBAI The plane carrying passengers from the FlyDubai flight diverted to Saudi Arabia after an altercation between the pilots has landed in Tel Aviv, according to images broadcast by AFPTV. The aircraft landed on the tarmac of Ben Gurion airport at 6:34 p.m. local time (5:34 p.m. in Paris). Follow our live stream.
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#BARDELLAEmmanuel Macron judged that the anti-Semitic writings attributed to Jordan Bardella by Mediapart were “extremely serious and unacceptable”. “After October 7, 2023, I walked the streets of Paris, and went to Israel. Not him,” the president of the National Rally responds on X.
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#FLYDUBAI The plane carrying passengers from the FlyDubai flight diverted to Saudi Arabia after an altercation between the pilots has landed in Tel Aviv, according to images broadcast by AFPTV. The aircraft landed on the tarmac of Ben Gurion airport at 6:34 p.m. local time (5:34 p.m. in Paris).
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#FLYDUBAI Passengers on the FlyDubai flight to Tel Aviv, forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, have resumed their journey aboard a new aircraft, one of them told AFP in a written message. According to Israeli media, 174 people were on board, including 166 Israelis.
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#FLYDUBAI “The serious incident on board the FlyDubai flight was an attempted jihadist terrorist attack,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. However, he did not say what elements his accusations were based on, and neither the airline nor Saudi Arabia, where the incriminated co-pilot is detained, have so far corroborated this hypothesis. The reasons for the altercation between the two pilots are at this stage "unknown", FlyDubai said in a press release, calling on "the different parties to refrain from any premature speculation".
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#FLYDUBAI The Israeli Prime Minister announced that one of the pilots of the FlyDubai flight forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, accused of stabbing his co-pilot, had been arrested and was being questioned by Saudi authorities. “We are in constant contact with the authorities” of Saudi Arabia, Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video address, adding that he had “ordered the [Israeli] security services to prepare for any additional potential threats.”
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