Fighters from the Yamam, Israel's national counterterrorism unit, prepared to take over the Flydubai plane during last week's attempted hijacking, i24NEWS correspondent Lee Ayash reported. The unit ran a hasty battle procedure and stood ready for deployment. According to the plan, the Yamam was to go into action the moment the order was given, whether the aircraft was in Israeli territory or not.
Ynet reported that this was one of several scenarios Israel prepared for in the hours before the passengers came home, in case the plane and those aboard were seized as bargaining chips. Air force fighter jets were also scrambled toward Jordan, on the understanding that they might have to bring the aircraft down to prevent a September 11-style crash. Two Israeli sources told CBS News that Israel was prepared to shoot the plane down even with more than 150 Israelis on board.
None of those scenarios came to pass. On Wednesday, September 30, the Omani co-pilot of Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv stabbed the captain, Indian national Smit Machchhar, as the plane approached Israel over Jordan. Machchhar, though seriously wounded, managed to open the cockpit door. Israeli passengers and crew overpowered the attacker, and two off-duty pilots on board landed the aircraft at Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.
The passengers returned that evening on a replacement Flydubai flight and were reunited with their families at Ben Gurion Airport.
Machchhar was later moved to Abu Dhabi for continued medical care.
The United Arab Emirates has since declared the incident an attempted terrorist attack. Israeli officials say the co-pilot told interrogators he intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport.
