Guwahati, Oct. 1 -- A British pilot travelling as an off-duty passenger reportedly helped stabilise a Flydubai aircraft after one pilot allegedly stabbed his colleague and attempted to take control of the plane while it was en route from Dubai to Israel.

The Flydubai aircraft, carrying around 180 passengers, was diverted to Tabuk in north-west Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after the incident. The plane reportedly descended more than 17,000 feet in less than two minutes, dropping from an altitude of around 34,000 feet, according to flight-tracking data cited in reports.

Passengers and crew members are said to have intervened after the alleged stabbing. Israeli passenger Almog Itali, speaking to the BBC, said two pilots were initially in the ...