Fearing a 9/11-like attack, Israel prepared to shoot down flydubai flight with 174 onboard: Report
Israel was prepared to shoot down a FlyDubai passenger plane after its captain was allegedly attacked in the cockpit and the aircraft plunged thousands of feet, even though more than 150 Israelis were on board, according to two Israeli sources with direct knowledge of the situation who spoke to CBS News.
The incident involved FlyDubai Flight 1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv last week when the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to crash the aircraft. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, passengers and the captain have all spoken about the incident.
Israel activated emergency protocol after plane lost contact
According to Israeli sources, the country has a long-established procedure for dealing with a possible 9/11-style attack involving a passenger aircraft.
After the plane plunged around 14,000 feet, the Israeli Air Force attempted to contact the cockpit but received no response. A pre-established committee was quickly activated and a command centre was set up to assess the situation.
Fighter jets were scrambled and Israeli airspace was closed as authorities prepared for the possibility that the aircraft could pose a threat.
The Israeli jets were later called back after the plane, which was around 400 miles from Israel, turned towards Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia then scrambled its own fighter jets.
Captain fought attacker as passengers helped regain control
The captain was able to fight off the co-pilot long enough to unlock the cockpit door, according to accounts from people aboard the flight.
A group of Israeli passengers and FlyDubai staff then overpowered the co-pilot. Two off-duty pilots who were travelling on the same aircraft subsequently managed to take control of the plane.
The aircraft was eventually diverted and made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
The incident unfolded as the plane was approaching Israel, raising concerns over whether it could become a rogue aircraft threatening a populated area or a high-value target.
Israel had a protocol to shoot down rogue aircraft
The Israeli sources told CBS News that if Flight 1073 had come within a certain distance of Israel, fighter jets would have entered Jordanian airspace to investigate.
The pilots would have attempted to get as close as possible to the aircraft to visually inspect the cockpit and establish contact with the pilot. They would then have assessed the cabin to determine the condition of the passengers.
If the pilots saw signs of panic or an emergency, they would have relayed their assessment to the Israeli Air Force and the pre-established committee.
If authorities determined that the aircraft had been hijacked, the suspected hijackers were maintaining radio silence and no demands had been made, the committee would involve Israel’s defence minister and prime minister.
According to the sources, the protocol allows for a rogue passenger aircraft approaching Israel to be shot down. However, the final decision would rest solely with the prime minister.
The sources said such a decision would be considered if authorities believed allowing the aircraft to continue could result in hundreds of deaths by crashing into a major Israeli target, including the Azrieli buildings, Ben Gurion Airport or another high-value site.
Co-pilot allegedly planned attack before joining FlyDubai
The investigation has also raised questions about the co-pilot’s alleged intentions.
An Israeli official told CBS News that the co-pilot said during interrogation in the United Arab Emirates that he had planned the attack even before joining FlyDubai.
The co-pilot has been identified by sources familiar with the investigation as Omani national Hamam al Hamami. According to the Israeli official, he intended to crash the aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport and had previously flown to Israel.
Israeli investigators believe the attempted hijacking was likely a lone-wolf attack at this stage, according to sources familiar with the investigation. However, the investigation remains ongoing. Authorities are continuing to examine the incident and have not ruled out other possibilities as they work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged cockpit attack.
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