Israel Readied to Down FlyDubai Flight 1073 With 150 Israelis Aboard After Cockpit Attack
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Oct 5
Israel Readied to Down FlyDubai Flight 1073 With 150 Israelis Aboard After Cockpit Attack
3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Oct 5
Summary
Israeli officials prepared to shoot down FlyDubai Flight 1073 last week after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and the jet dropped 14,000 feet on approach to Israel.
No radio response triggered Israel's 9/11-style protocol: fighter jets were scrambled, airspace was closed and a special committee stood ready to advise Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on any shoot-down order.
About 400 miles from Israel, the plane turned toward Saudi Arabia, prompting Israel to recall its jets as Saudi forces scrambled and the crew crisis shifted away from Israeli airspace.
Two off-duty pilots, FlyDubai staff and Israeli passengers helped overpower the co-pilot, allowing an emergency landing in Tabuk after the captain fought long enough to unlock the cockpit door.
Israeli officials said the co-pilot told UAE interrogators he had planned the attack before joining FlyDubai and intended to crash at Ben Gurion Airport, though investigators still say all avenues remain open.