Netanyahu: Pilot tried to crash Israel

Netanyahu: Pilot tried to crash Israel-bound flight

A flight from the United Arab Emirates to Israel made an emergency landing on Wednesday, after it sent a distress signal indicating a possible hijacking. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls it a "serious security incident."

Netanyahu said: "Almost all the passengers on the flight were Israelis. During the flight, as they approached the country, one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot; he apparently tried to crash the plane with its passengers."

Netanyahu said a passenger and a crew member restrained the attacker on the Flydubai flight. He said other crew members entered the cockpit and managed to regain control of the plane. The plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia, and Saudi authorities took the attacker into custody.

Israeli media are reporting that the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain. They said flight data shows the aircraft "suddenly took a sharp nosedive" more than 5,000 meters in about a minute.

Reuters released a video taken by one of the passengers, pleading for help: "We are here in the plane now, we controlled the terrorists. Whoever is hearing me, we need help. We are in the Tabuk area of Saudi Arabia."

Flydubai said all passengers and crew are safe, and that the motives remain under investigation. An Israeli official reportedly said the government is treating the case as a potential terror incident.