Israeli media reported that “Hostile elements attempted to control the communications network on board an El Al plane, which was heading from Thailand to Ben Gurion Airport in Israel.”
According to a report by the Israeli broadcaster Kan on Monday, the incident occurred “While the plane was crossing Huthi-controlled airspace, raising fears of a possible act of sabotage.”
“Despite the alarming nature of the takeover attempt, the flight was able to reach its intended destination and land safely, averting a potentially catastrophic situation,” it noted.
“The perpetrators sought to manipulate the plane’s path, and perhaps divert it from its intended path. However, the crew members quickly discovered the disturbances and took decisive action to thwart the threat,” the Hebrew media reported.
“Sources in Somalia raised the possibility of the involvement of the Somaliland entity, which recently concluded a controversial agreement with Ethiopia.”
It added that the exact motives behind the attempted seizure are still unclear, and the authorities are actively investigating the incident to confirm and determine who is responsible and to prevent similar threats in the future.
The media reports said that fears escalated with indications that the perpetrators may have intended to compromise the safety of the aircraft or direct it towards dangerous areas. Furthermore, there were fears of possible grounds threats, including kidnapping.
