Crime · updated 1h ago · 3 min read
Netanyahu Says Flydubai Co-Pilot Stabbed Pilot With Axe During Flight 1073 To Israel
Co-pilot stabbed the captain on FlyDubai FD 1073 en route to Tel Aviv. Passengers and crew overpowered the attacker, enabling a safe landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Whether a viral report is a BBC deepfake disinformation.
3 of 4 outlets skipped it: emirates-based investigation and UAE legal jurisdiction.
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Same story, two versions
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France 24
“The video though, is an AI-generated deepfake: the BBC never broadcast it, and its footage and audio were doctored.”Read the original ↗
The Jerusalem Post
“The Shin Bet declined to confirm or deny the alleged dispute, but anonymous leaks seemed to frame Zini as having warned even before the event about insufficient security surrounding UAE-Israeli”Read the original ↗
France 24 fact-checks a deepfake and dismisses alleged Indian involvement; other outlets focus on official accounts and witnesses.
Axe, stabbing, and panic
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a co-pilot stabbed or hit with an axe the other pilot as the Flydubai plane approached Israel, and Netanyahu said the pilot that was hit was bleeding profusely and managed to unlock the pilot's door. Passenger Miriam described the moment she heard screams, and Miriam said, "We just heard screams, and they opened the cockpit and saw amounts of blood from someone who had simply tried to murder the pilot and stabbed him with a pocketknife." The flight, identified as Flight 1073 from Dubai, dropped thousands of feet after the alleged stabbing, and Netanyahu said the plane "went into a spin and began to dive."
The aircraft landed in Tabuk, in northwestern Saudi Arabia, after being diverted, and FlyDubai confirmed the flight "experienced an incident while en route" and landed in Tabuk. The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said the wounded pilot was in stable condition Wednesday night, and the embassy added, "We hope that he recovers from his injuries at the earliest."
Indoctrination claims and debate
Netanyahu told Fox News that he knew the co-pilot’s assistant underwent a process of indoctrination with extremist Islamic ideas, and Netanyahu said, "We know he underwent a process of indoctrination of extremist Islamic ideas." Netanyahu said the motive behind the incident was not identified, and Netanyahu told Fox News that within a few days they would be able to determine whether the Fly Dubai pilot’s assistant is connected to Iran. Antonio Guterres expressed his "deep concern" about the serious incident while noting his relief that a catastrophe was avoided.
The El Correo account said Netanyahu indicated it was too early to know whether Iran was behind it, and El Correo quoted Netanyahu saying, "It is too early to know." The El Correo account also said the United Arab Emirates announced it is leading the investigation into whether the incident was related to terrorist activity or purpose, or whether there was prior planning or instructions from third parties.
Security, custody, and what’s next
Saudi authorities detained the alleged attacker and subjected him to interrogation, and CNN Arabic said the identity has not been disclosed beyond noting he is an Oman citizen.
Netanyahu said he would be transferred to the UAE for interrogation, with Israel participating in the investigation, and CNN Arabic also said Israel maintains some of the world's most stringent aviation security protocols.
Netanyahu said the pilot suspected of stabbing his colleague "is under interrogation by the Saudi authorities," and Netanyahu ordered security services to be ready for the possibility of other threats.
Netanyahu ordered tightening security measures on Israeli and non-Israeli airlines in the wake of the incident, and the BBC also said Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz described the incident as an attempt to carry out a "jihadi terrorist" attack.
The passengers of Fly Dubai Flight FD 1073 arrived at Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday evening, where Netanyahu met them, and the BBC said U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, "I spoke at length with Bibi (Netanyahu) regarding this incident, and it appears the co-pilot was either an extremist or deranged, and stabbed the captain,".