A flydubai passenger plane carrying more than 170 people reportedly came close to being shot down by Israel after authorities received a hijack signal during a dramatic mid-air incident, according to a CBS News report.
The Dubai-to-Israel flight had briefly entered Jordanian airspace when Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami allegedly attacked the captain, Smit Machchhar, inside the cockpit and attempted to take control of the aircraft. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the incident as an attempted hijacking.
The situation became critical when the aircraft suddenly plunged nearly 18,000 feet within seconds. Israeli authorities reportedly tried to establish contact with the cockpit but received no response. This triggered Israel's pre-established emergency protocol for a suspected hijacked aircraft.
According to sources cited by CBS News, Israeli authorities quickly established a command centre and scrambled fighter jets while Israeli airspace was closed. The military was prepared to investigate the aircraft if it approached Israeli territory.
However, the situation changed when the plane turned towards Saudi Arabia instead of continuing towards Israel. Saudi Arabia also scrambled fighter jets as the aircraft entered its airspace.
Israeli authorities later managed to establish contact with the aircraft. By then, the Indian captain had reportedly managed to fight off the co-pilot and unlock the cockpit door. Israeli passengers and flydubai staff then overpowered the alleged attacker.
Two off-duty pilots on board subsequently took control of the aircraft. The plane was eventually diverted and made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
The incident also highlighted Israel's strict protocol for dealing with a suspected hijacked aircraft. Sources said Israeli fighter jets would first attempt to establish visual contact with the cockpit and cabin to assess the situation.
If authorities determined that the aircraft had been hijacked and the pilots remained unresponsive, the matter would reportedly be referred to a pre-established committee involving senior security officials. Any decision to destroy the aircraft would ultimately require approval from the Israeli prime minister.
According to the sources, the protocol allows for a rogue passenger aircraft approaching Israel to be shot down if authorities believe it poses a catastrophic threat to people on the ground.
Meanwhile, Hamam al-Hammami is being held in the United Arab Emirates. Investigators reportedly believe the attack may have been planned before he joined flydubai. He allegedly told investigators that he intended to kill the pilot, take control of the aircraft and eventually crash it at Ben Gurion Airport.
The investigation into the motive and circumstances of the attempted hijacking is continuing. Authorities are also examining whether the attack was carried out by the co-pilot alone.
Al-Hammami had reportedly worked for flydubai for around eight months. Before joining the airline, he is said to have spent several years working with Oman Air.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over aviation security and the potential threat posed by an insider attempting to seize control of a commercial passenger aircraft.
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