Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev demanded a freeze on flydubai flights during a probe to discover how a pilot of suspected Omani origin came to be cleared to fly the route that nearly ended in a fatal hijacking. She has also asked the Israel Civil Aviation Authority to find out whether flydubai breached bilateral aviation agreements after the alleged altercation in the cockpit that ended with the suspected hijacker being subdued by passengers.

Under the current bilateral accords, only pilots from countries with diplomatic ties to Israel are allowed to land in the Jewish state. Israeli authorities are investigating whether the pilot held dual citizenship to bypass the restrictions on pilots from Gulf and Arab states. Her request triggered a dispute with Israel Security Agency head David Zini over halting air ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates while the investigation is pending.

The incident unfolded overnight as a fight broke out in the cockpit of the flydubai airplane carrying about 180 Israeli passengers. The alleged hijacker, who was a co-pilot, tried to take control of the Boeing 737 MAX, managing to push the aircraft into a nosedive of 14,000 feet in just one minute. Passengers rushed the cockpit and subdued the potential hijacker. The plane was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where both pilots, who sustained wounds in the cockpit fight, were taken to a hospital for treatment. Video footage shows that a passenger was wounded and bleeding as well.

Israel is coordinating with Saudi Arabia to send an Israeli Air Force plane to retrieve the stranded passengers and bring them to Israel, where they will be debriefed by the Shin Bet. The suspect’s motives are under investigation by both Saudi and Israeli intelligence.