Israeli Estimates: Co-Pilot of 'Fly Dubai' Flight Tried to Crash the Plane

Tel Aviv - Afaq News - Security estimates in Israel suggest that the co-pilot on the "Fly Dubai" flight may have attempted to hijack the plane and crash it while en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv, before it landed in Saudi Arabia today, Wednesday.

The official broadcasting authority quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying: "The possibility of one of the pilots attempting to hijack the plane and crash it, while the other pilot took control, has not been ruled out yet."

Earlier on Wednesday, a "Fly Dubai" aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after sending the emergency code 7700, which indicates a general emergency.

However, later, some tracking systems showed data indicating the use of code 7500, which signifies "unlawful interference," but this information has not yet received official confirmation, according to the authority.

It reported that Israeli passengers on board the plane said it was forced to land in Saudi Arabia due to a scuffle between the pilots.

For its part, the newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth" said: "In the Israeli aviation sector, it is estimated that the possibility of a security incident on board the flight, which was headed to Ben Gurion Airport (near Tel Aviv), has not been ruled out yet."

It continued: "Preliminary estimates indicate that one of the pilots attempted to cause the plane to crash, but the other pilot succeeded in thwarting the attempt with the help of Israeli passengers."

According to the newspaper, the pilot suspected of trying to bring down the plane "is of Omani origin, and the second pilot is Emirati."

Israeli Channel 12 had previously reported that the crew of the plane consists of a Russian pilot and a Ukrainian co-pilot.

Since February 2022, a war has been ongoing between the neighboring countries of Russia and Ukraine, supported by Western countries, particularly the United States.

Israeli army radio reported, citing unnamed security sources, that "the estimates have increased that the co-pilot wanted to take control of the plane and crash it with all its passengers on board."

Channel 12 reported an unnamed senior Israeli official saying: "A huge disaster was avoided, and the co-pilot is being interrogated, as indications are increasing that he intended to take control of the plane and crash it."

Israeli media published a photo of one of the passengers with blood on his shirt, adding that he helped to control the situation.