New Delhi: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that the pilot of a flydubai flight intended to crash the aircraft, and praised passengers for intervening and helping prevent what he described as a potentially catastrophic incident.
According to the report, Netanyahu said the incident occurred on a flydubai flight and that the pilot was subsequently being interrogated in Saudi Arabia. The claims have drawn attention because of the potential scale of the disaster had the aircraft been brought down.
Netanyahu praises passengers for thwarting alleged plot
Netanyahu credited passengers on board the flight with helping prevent the alleged attempt to crash the aircraft. The incident has been described in reports as raising concerns over the possibility of a deliberate attack involving a commercial passenger aircraft.
The claims come amid heightened attention to aviation security and the procedures used to respond when suspicious behaviour is detected on board a flight.
Pilot reportedly being questioned in Saudi Arabia
According to the report, the pilot is being interrogated in Saudi Arabia as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and the allegations against him.
Further details about the pilot’s alleged motive, the sequence of events inside the aircraft and the actions taken by passengers were still emerging.
Investigation underway
The incident is being examined by the relevant authorities, while questions remain over how the alleged attempt was detected and how the passengers were able to intervene.