Israeli officials call Flydubai cockpit incident attempted terror attack; airline urges caution
A Flydubai flight bound for Israel was diverted to Saudi Arabia after a cockpit altercation. Israeli officials call it a thwarted terror attack; the airline says motives are unknown and under investigation.
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The story, neutrally told
An Israel-bound Flydubai flight was diverted to Saudi Arabia after an altercation in the flight deck. Anadolu AgencyN “an altercation broke out in the flight deck of the Israel-bound plane, and that crew members managed to secure the plane and divert it safely to Saudi Arabia” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ BBC NewsN “The plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia after plummeting 17,000ft in less than two minutes.” Read at BBC News ↗ Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called it a "jihadist terrorist attack attempt", according to Ynet, saying it was thwarted by Israeli passengers who broke into the cockpit. Anadolu AgencyN “was a jihadist terrorist attack attempt, thwarted only thanks to the bravery of several Israeli passengers who broke into the cockpit” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on X that one pilot stabbed the other and apparently tried to crash the plane. Anadolu AgencyN “one of the pilots stabbed the second pilot, and apparently tried to crash the plane with everyone on board” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Netanyahu said the pilot was subdued by passengers and crew, arrested, and is being interrogated by Saudi officials. Anadolu AgencyN “Passengers and crew members subdued the "stabbing pilot," who was arrested and is now being interrogated by Saudi officials” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Flydubai said the reasons and motives are unknown and subject to formal investigation, and urged parties to avoid premature speculation. Anadolu AgencyN “We urge all parties to refrain from premature speculation while authorities gather the facts” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Anadolu reported that neither Flydubai nor Saudi authorities had confirmed the Israeli officials' statements on motive. Anadolu AgencyN “No further statements were issued by Flydubai or Saudi authorities to confirm the statements by Israeli officials on the motives behind the incident.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
A passenger told Netanyahu at Ben Gurion airport that he helped pin the alleged attacker down and pulled the controls back to stop a nosedive. BBC NewsN “he helped pin the alleged attacker to the ground and pull the plane's controls backwards to stop it nosediving” Read at BBC News ↗ Passengers later reached Tel Aviv on a replacement Flydubai plane. BBC NewsN “Passengers have since safely landed in Tel Aviv after a replacement Flydubai plane transported them to their destination.” Read at BBC News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre3 outlets
- Framing
- Anadolu leads with Israeli officials' claim and sets it against the airline's caution; BBC leads with a passenger's account of stopping the attacker.
- Emphasis
- Anadolu stresses the lack of confirmation of motive; BBC stresses the passenger's role and the 17,000ft drop.
- Leaves out or plays down
- BBC does not report Flydubai's caution or Katz's terrorism claim; Anadolu does not report the 17,000ft drop or the replacement flight.
- Charged language
- “attempted terror attack”“alleged attacker”
- For example
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“The airline, however, said the reasons and motives behind the altercation remain unknown and are subject to a formal investigation.” — Anadolu Agency
“A passenger on the diverted Flydubai flight has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu how he and others helped stop the cockpit attack.” — BBC News
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- The flight was diverted to Saudi Arabia after a cockpit incident.
- Passengers helped stop the incident.
- Passengers later reached Israel on a replacement aircraft.
Where accounts differ
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Whether the incident was a terror attack
- Centre
- Anadolu reports Israeli officials calling it a terror attempt, while Flydubai says motives are unknown and under investigation and no Saudi or airline confirmation exists. BBC refers to an 'alleged attacker' and a 'cockpit attack' without addressing motive.
Benjamin Netanyahu person
Netanyahu's office says a pilot stabbed the other and apparently tried to crash the plane.
“apparently tried to crash the plane with everyone on board” — Anadolu Agency
flydubai organisation
Flydubai says motives are unknown, under formal investigation, and warns against speculation.
“We urge all parties to refrain from premature speculation while authorities gather the facts” — Anadolu Agency
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre3 articles
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Israel's defense minister claims Flydubai was 'attempted terror attack'
Neutral Presents Israeli officials' claims as allegations and balances them with Flydubai's caution.
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'I pulled the controls': Passenger tells Israeli PM how he helped stop attacker
Sympathetic Short video piece focusing on the passenger's account of stopping the attack.
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Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 30 Sep 16:00 First Anadolu AgencyN Israel's defense minister claims Flydubai was 'attempted terror attack'
- 30 Sep 19:40 +3h 40m BBC NewsN 'I pulled the controls': Passenger tells Israeli PM how he helped stop attacker
- 30 Sep 22:28 +6h 28m The Media LineN ‘It Will Change the Way We Do Things’: Former Israeli Pilots Association Chief on Flydubai Cockpit Attack
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.