Passengers Foil Plane Crash

The Embassy said preliminary findings indicated that the pilot’s apparent intention was to crash the aircraft with all passengers on board.

Israeli passengers reportedly realised what was happening and entered the cockpit, where they confronted and overpowered the pilot.

The passengers then helped transfer control of the aircraft to an alternate flight crew who were travelling as passengers on the same flight.

The Embassy said the Emirati co-pilot and other crew members also played a critical role, working with the passengers to secure the aircraft and bring it to a safe landing.

“Their immediate actions saved lives,” the Embassy said.

The Embassy said the incident was not simply an attack against Israeli passengers but also an attempt to undermine the developing relationship between Israel and the UAE.

It said the incident represented an attack on the “normalization and peace” between peoples in the region.

The Embassy said terrorism would not break the relationship between Israel and the UAE, pointing to the actions of the passengers and crew as an example of Israelis and Emiratis working together during the incident.

“In the face of terror, Israelis and Emiratis stood together,” the statement said.

The Embassy said Israel remains committed to strengthening its relationship with the UAE and expanding what it described as the circle of peace represented by the Abraham Accords.

It also expressed appreciation to UAE authorities for their cooperation and professionalism in dealing with the incident.