What happened
A FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after a co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain in an attempted hijacking. A passenger on the flight filmed himself with blood on his head, begging for help and stating that the terrorists had been subdued.
The incident occurred about two and a half hours into the flight, when the plane was cruising at an altitude of around 34,000 feet. The jet then dropped to approximately 15,400 feet in just 12 minutes, according to FlightAware data. Israeli fighter jets were scrambled as a precaution.
One of the passengers who helped subdue the attacker spoke to his family in a video, reassuring them that he was safe and explaining that the pilot was seriously injured. He also mentioned that there was another person involved in the incident, but their condition was unknown.
The Boeing 737 Max 8 had 174 passengers on board, including 27 children. Israeli officials have announced a terrorism investigation, with one confirming that the incident was an attempted hijacking similar to the 9/11 attacks.
