Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that the captain of a Flydubai passenger jet was stabbed in the head during a suspected hijacking attempt that sent the aircraft plunging thousands of feet.
Speaking to Fox News, Netanyahu said the pilot had suffered serious injuries after the co-pilot allegedly attacked him during the flight to Tel Aviv.
“The pilot attacked on the Flydubai plane yesterday was stabbed in the head,” Netanyahu said.
“His arm was basically split in two.”
Netanyahu also claimed the co-pilot had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination”, although he did not provide evidence to support the allegation.
The Israeli prime minister praised those who intervened during the incident, describing them as “heroes” who “took control of the situation, and then saved the day”.
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He added that the “whole world should praise” the “brave Israelis” involved.
“We could be sitting today in a 9/11 tragedy, with bodies scattered in the desert,” Netanyahu said.
Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft losing altitude dramatically during the incident. Reuters reported that the plane plunged by nearly 14,000ft in less than 30 seconds, before the situation was brought under control.
Authorities are still investigating the identity and motive of the suspected attacker.
Israel’s envoy to the United Arab Emirates said the suspect was an Omani national, while stressing that it was too early to establish a motive or draw conclusions about the incident.
Israeli intelligence services were investigating alongside other agencies, the envoy said, adding that Netanyahu had spoken with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan.
Earlier reports from Israeli media had given conflicting accounts of the pilots’ nationalities, with some outlets identifying them as Omani and Emirati nationals and others reporting that they were Russian and Ukrainian.
The UAE prosecutor general has ordered an investigation into the suspected hijacking, including the circumstances surrounding the incident, its motives and whether there was any militant involvement, prior planning or external direction.
The UAE is overseeing the investigation because the aircraft is registered there and operates under the country’s flag. UAE law would therefore apply to anyone ultimately charged in connection with the incident, even if the alleged offence took place outside the country.
Netanyahu was also asked about reports that Israeli fighter jets had been scrambled and could potentially have been ordered to shoot down the aircraft if the suspected hijacking could not be brought under control.
He said Israel had “made the right decision” in its response.
Israel’s security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for the suspect to be extradited to Israel.
“I will demand in the cabinet to extradite the terrorist pilot who wanted to harm hundreds of innocent Israelis to Israel,” Ben-Gvir said.
Ben-Gvir, leader of the far-right Jewish Power party, has previously faced international criticism over his rhetoric and was sanctioned by the UK over allegations of inciting violence in the West Bank.
The investigation is expected to establish what happened inside the cockpit, how the aircraft lost altitude so rapidly and whether the attack was an attempted hijacking or had another motive.
For now, UAE authorities have cautioned against drawing conclusions while the investigation remains under way.
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