Saudi assessment: FlyDubai co-pilot tried to crash plane deliberately

Saudi authorities' initial assessment of the FlyDubai FZ1073 diversion is that the co-pilot tried to deliberately crash the plane, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Dubai–Tel Aviv Boeing 737 squawked 7700 and then 7500 — the hijack signal — and dropped 17,400 feet in about two minutes early Tuesday after a violent cockpit altercation in which the co-pilot reportedly stabbed the pilot with a folding knife; passengers helped the crew subdue him. Both pilots were hospitalized in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

No motive theory has emerged, and it is unknown whether others were involved. Four Americans — U.S.-Israeli dual nationals — were among the roughly 180 aboard. FlyDubai has suspended all Israel flights during the investigation, and Israel will vet the identities of all pilots flying into the country. The captain later said he opened the cockpit door so passengers could rush in: "I was not going to let others die." Israel's defense-establishment lead theory is an ideologically radicalized lone wolf rather than an Iranian-directed operation.

Sources: Wall Street Journal, CNN.