Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Oct 1: Saudi Arabia has denied an Israeli request to allow military aircraft into the country to evacuate Israeli passengers stranded at Tabuk after a Flydubai flight made an emergency landing there following a serious cockpit incident, according to security sources cited by Reuters.

Flydubai flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was diverted to Tabuk on Wednesday after one pilot allegedly stabbed the other during the flight. Passengers and crew intervened and helped restrain the attacker, allowing the aircraft to land safely in Saudi Arabia.

The flight was carrying around 170 passengers, most of them Israeli nationals. Israel had prepared to send C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft to bring the passengers home, but Saudi Arabia did not approve the request. The passengers were subsequently flown to Israel on replacement Flydubai aircraft.

The incident has drawn attention to the absence of formal diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has been involved in US-led efforts toward possible normalisation with Israel, but Riyadh has continued to link formal relations to progress towards the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Meanwhile, Flydubai has suspended flights to and from Israel while authorities investigate the cockpit incident. Saudi Arabia's National Transport Safety Centre has also launched an investigation into the emergency landing at Tabuk and is working with relevant authorities to establish the circumstances of the incident.