'We've taken control of the situation': Moment passengers help stop knife attacking pilot on Israel-bound plane
Israeli PM Netanyahu said the knife-wielding suspect has since been arrested and interrogated by Saudi authorities
This is the moment a group of flight passengers take control of the Flydubai jet bound for Tel Aviv after one of the pilots was reportedly stabbed.
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Video footage taken on board the plane shows two men, believed to be the pilot and co-pilot, seen covered in blood as passengers restrain them on the floor.
New footage shows the pair lying motionless on the ground surrounded by blood, as passengers crowd around them trying to communicate with the men.
Video footage has emerged of one passenger who said: "They've attacked us on this plane. We've taken control of the situation."
The plane had earlier taken off from Dubai and the pilot allegedly stabbed his colleague, as passengers said they believe he was "attempting to crash the plane."
In a separate video, he spoke of "subduing the terrorists", and another where he declares they have "taken control" of the situation.
Speaking directly into the camera with blood on his face, he says: "We're here during the hijacking of an airplane.
"At this point we’ve subdued the terrorists, we’re approaching landing.
"Whoever is hearing me, we need help. We’re landing in Tabuk, apparently in Saudi Arabia, an unknown, unfamiliar area.
"On the plane, everybody is safe and sound, other than the pilot. We need help."
It was eventually diverted while flying over Jordanian airspace when a general emergency signal was flagged.
It was then landed at the civilian and military base of Tabu in the kingdom, with 180 passengers on board.
According to passengers, two off-duty pilots took over the controls after the original pair were injured.
A 7500 code was issued while flying over Saudi Arabia which means a hijacking or unlawful interference was in motion.
Issuing an update on Wednesday afternoon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot and then "tried to crash the plane".
He said the knife-wielding suspect has since been arrested and interrogated by Saudi authorities, and his defence minister, Israel Katz, said the "jihadist" attacker "intended to kill everyone onboard".
The underlying reasons for the incident are still unknown, Flydubai has said.
The pilot who stabbed his colleague was arrested and interrogated by Saudi authorities.
One passenger, identified only as Miriam, told Israel’s i24 channel that one of the pilots was stabbed and that there were moments she feared for her life.
She said: "We just heard screams, and then the cockpit door opened and we saw a huge amount of blood.
"The plane was completely out of control. There were moments when all of us here were certain we weren’t going to make it out alive."
Another passenger, Itzhak Liber, recorded a video addressed to his family, which he uploaded onto social media.
He said: "We took control of the situation here on the flight.
"There was an attacker with a knife who stabbed one of the pilots. We just jumped on him and restrained him together with the pilot."
Another passenger named Daniel told local media that he thought it was a repeat of 9/11.
He said the plane dropped into an "intense spin," to which he described: "It felt like an eternity, but I think it was at least two or three minutes, during which the plane was simply diving and spinning like crazy.
"It felt like that’s it. It’s over. September 11 is happening again.
"Those three Israeli guys are real heroes. It’s hard to explain just how heroic they were."
Israel’s Transport Minister Miri Regev will call for FlyDubai flights to be suspended until the investigation into the incident is complete, according to i24NEWS.