Tel Aviv: Israeli authorities reportedly prepared to shoot down a Flydubai passenger aircraft after it sent a hijack signal while approaching the region, according to a CBS News report.
The aircraft, carrying more than 170 passengers and crew, reportedly plunged nearly 18,000 feet within seconds after the Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain and attempted to take control of the plane.
Israeli authorities activated a pre-established emergency protocol, scrambled fighter jets and prepared a command centre to assess the situation. However, the aircraft turned toward Saudi Arabia before entering Israeli airspace, where Saudi fighter jets were also reportedly deployed.
According to the report, the Indian captain managed to regain access to the cockpit, while passengers and Flydubai staff helped overpower the alleged attacker. Two off-duty pilots then assisted in taking control of the aircraft before it made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Sources cited by CBS News said Israel’s protocol allows for a rogue passenger aircraft to be shot down in an extreme hijacking scenario, but such a decision would require approval from the country’s prime minister. The investigation into the alleged attempted hijacking and the motive of the accused co-pilot is continuing.
