Off-Duty Pilots Avert Disaster on Israel-Bound Flight After Cockpit Attack

Two off-duty pilots heroically landed a Tel Aviv-bound passenger jet after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the pilot in the cockpit, an incident Israeli officials are investigating as an attempted terror attack. The incident occurred approximately two-and-a-half hours after the flight departed Dubai, causing the Boeing 737 Max to plummet 17,000 feet in two minutes, according to Israeli media.

The two pilots, who were reportedly scheduled to operate a subsequent flight, managed to stabilize the aircraft with 174 passengers aboard and execute an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Passengers told the BBC that one of the relief pilots was British, while the other's nationality was not immediately known. The attack reportedly happened while the plane was cruising at about 34,000 feet.

Details surrounding the motive and the assailant are under investigation, with early reports suggesting a potential connection to a "9/11"-style attack. The co-pilot's background is also reportedly being examined, with some reports indicating he had worked for Flydubai for less than a year and was from Oman.