The emergency landing of a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight on Wednesday (Sep 30) was due to a "terrorist" who wanted to crash the plane and kill Israelis, AFP reported, citing Israel's national security minister.

Two pilots were wounded after they reportedly fought on board the plane they were flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv, and which was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

Reuters reported two Israeli officials as saying that the co-pilot was believed to have stabbed the captain before cabin crew entered the cockpit and took control of the plane.

Minister Ben-Gvir says increase needed in Israel's security following incident

published at 18:22

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has posted on social media about the incident, although he does not seem to be speaking on behalf of the government.

Ben-Gvir says a "terrorist… planned to crash a plane and murder" those on board.

He thanks the "heroic passengers", and says that Israel's "security doctrine" must go up a level, adding that the country must not stop until it has "total victory" on multiple fronts.

We have not heard much from the Israeli government, beyond an initial statement that the situation was under control and efforts were being made to bring passengers home.

Yair Golan, who leads Israel's left-wing Democrats party, praises the "brave" passengers on board, while denouncing the government for using the incident to "score cheap political points".

BBC Verify has shared flight-tracking data with aviation experts to better understand what may have happened onboard the Flydubai plane, after it experienced an extreme fall and then rapid fluctuation in altitude in such a short period of time.

The data on Flightradar24 shows the aircraft initially plunged by about 17,000ft (5,200m), climbed 5,000ft and then fell another 7,000ft to settle into a relatively stable altitude of 15,000ft. All of this took place over the course of less than five minutes.

Plane lost altitude rapidly mid-flight

Fluctuations in the transmitted altitude data from flight FZ1073

Marco Chan, a senior lecturer in aviation operations at Kingston University, says that while sudden drops in altitude can be caused by incidents like rapid decompression, the plane having transmitted an emergency code for “unlawful interference” suggests the drop was not accidental or down to a technical fault.

While it is still unclear what happened on board, Chan adds that the sudden changes in altitude may have been caused by the pilots jostling for control of the yoke - a wheel-like device that controls the plane’s steering.

One of pilots who helped land plane was British, passenger says

passengers have been telling Israeli media that two pilots sat at the back of the plane helped land the aircraft after the altercation.

Another passenger, Almog Itali, tells the media these two pilots were "relief pilots" who were supposed to be operating a subsequent flight.

One of them was British, Itali says. He adds that the second relief pilot was European but did not specify their nationality.

Itali says the exact details of what happened in the cockpit are unclear but says the relief pilots stabilised the plane and landed it in Saudi Arabia.

"There are quite a few versions," he says after speaking to people from the front of the plane. "What is clear is that there were two pilots in the front - one stabbed the other."

What we do and don't know so far

What we know:

Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia around two hours after take-off on Wednesday 

An emergency signal - and later a hijacking warning - was set off shortly after an abrupt change of direction and rapid descent.

The plane dropped 17,000 feet (5,200m) in just two minute

All passengers are safe and accounted for, according to airline Flydubai

Following a distress call to air traffic control, the flight had an emergency landing at Tabuk airport at 08:44 local time

The captain of the aircraft and first officer have been taken to hospital, the company that owns the airport says

Passengers report that a pilot was stabbed in the cockpit. One passenger says two pilots at the back of the plane came forward to help land the plane - this has not been confirmed

And what we don't know:

The motive of the apparent attack, and the extent of the injuries suffered by the captain and first officer

The names or nationalities of anyone involved, including the pilots who suffered injuries, and those who landed the plane

Witnesses describe seeing blood and a knife - but we do not know who attacked whom, or the exact weapon

We are yet to receive official statements from police, emergency services, or investigators

Plane plummeted by 17,000ft in two minutes, data shows

The flight bound for Tel Aviv dropped extremely rapidly over Saudi Arabia just over two hours after take-off from Dubai, flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 examined by BBC Verify shows.

Just before 05:21 UTC (06:21 BST; 08:21 local time) the plane was cruising at a recorded altitude of 34,000 feet (10,400m).

In less than two minutes it had descended more than 17,000 feet (5,200m).

An emergency signal was issued from the plane about 10 minutes later and the available data shows significant ongoing fluctuations in altitude throughout the rest of the flight to Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia.

Source: BBC/AFP/Reuters