PILOT ATTACKS CO-PILOT WITH KNIFE AND ATTEMPTS TO HIJACK PLANE

TEL AVIV, SEPTEMBER 30 /SRNA/ - A major disaster was narrowly avoided after the pilot of a Flydubai passenger plane travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv attacked the co-pilot with a knife in an attempt to take control of the aircraft carrying more than 100 Israeli passengers, The Jerusalem Post reported citing an unnamed Israeli official.

The Flydubai plane landed in Saudi Arabia following what Israeli officials described as an attempted hijacking and an altercation between the pilots.

"A major disaster was narrowly avoided, as there is concern that one of the pilots attempted to hijack the plane with the intention of crashing it into the ground. The crew, with the help of passengers, managed to overpower the pilot. During the struggle, the aircraft descended by 4,000 meters," the official said.

According to him, the pilot's intentions are unknown, including whether he wanted to crash the plane into the ground or carry out an attack similar to the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.

He added that the only thing certain was that the pilot wanted to hijack the plane.

The aircraft initially transmitted a general emergency signal, followed by an unlawful-interference signal, before ultimately reverting to the original signal.

The Israeli Air Force dispatched fighter jets after the alert level was raised. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an emergency meeting with security officials.

Israeli airspace was also briefly closed, but was later reopened after the plane landed in Saudi Arabia.

The Emirati airline will send another aircraft to Saudi Arabia to pick up the passengers and transport them to Tel Aviv.