Israel was prepared to take the extraordinary step of shooting down a Flydubai passenger aircraft after a suspected hijacking attempt left authorities fearing that the plane could be used as a weapon, according to a CBS News report citing two Israeli sources familiar with the incident.
Flydubai Flight 1073 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 when the co-pilot allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar in the cockpit and attempted to take control of the aircraft. The plane subsequently plunged thousands of feet in a matter of seconds, triggering fears that the aircraft had been hijacked.
The sudden loss of altitude and the absence of a response from the cockpit prompted Israeli authorities to activate emergency procedures designed for a potential hostile aircraft approaching the country. A command centre was established, Israel’s airspace was closed and fighter jets were scrambled.
According to the CBS report, Israeli authorities were prepared to intercept the aircraft if it continued towards Tel Aviv. Fighter pilots would have attempted to visually inspect the cockpit and cabin to determine whether the aircraft had been taken over and whether passengers were in danger.
If authorities determined that the plane had been hijacked and those controlling it continued to ignore communications, the matter could have been escalated to Israel’s defence minister and prime minister. Under the reported protocol, the final decision to shoot down the aircraft would have rested with the prime minister.
But the situation changed dramatically before the fighter jets reached that stage.
The injured captain managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers and Flydubai crew members to overpower the alleged attacker. Two off-duty pilots who were travelling on the aircraft then helped take control of the plane. The aircraft turned away from Israel and headed towards Saudi Arabia for an emergency landing.
Once Israeli authorities determined that the aircraft was heading towards Saudi Arabia rather than continuing towards Israel, the Israeli fighter jets were recalled. Saudi Arabia also scrambled its own fighter aircraft as the emergency unfolded.
Flight 1073 eventually landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia, bringing an end to a dramatic mid-air crisis that could have had catastrophic consequences.
The incident is now the subject of investigations involving authorities in several countries. Israeli officials have said the co-pilot, identified as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, appeared to have attempted to crash the aircraft. Early Israeli assessments cited by CBS indicated that investigators were examining the possibility that he acted alone, although the investigation remains ongoing.
The revelation that Israel had prepared for the possibility of destroying the aircraft highlights the severity of the emergency. More than 150 Israelis were reportedly aboard the flight, meaning any decision to intercept the aircraft would have involved an extremely difficult choice between the immediate risk posed by a suspected hijacked plane and the lives of those on board.
What ultimately prevented the situation from reaching that point was the intervention of the injured captain, passengers, crew members and off-duty pilots, who regained control of the aircraft and diverted it to safety.
