DOMINANT ANGLE
Oslo focuses on the security aspect: the Norwegian press mainly reports the Israeli version of an attempted hijacking or attack in the cockpit, with the shadow of September 11 in the background.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the incident as a "jihadist terrorist attempt" to crash the plane (Dagbladet).
- 02
The 7500 signal was emitted and the aircraft dropped from 34,000 to 16,000 feet in less than two minutes according to data cited by Dagbladet; Aftenposten reports around 13,700 feet.
- 03
Netanyahu hailed passenger Yaniv as "a great hero" at Ben Gurion Airport, after passengers intervened in the cockpit (Dagbladet).
ANALYSIS
Oslo, October 1, 2026. The daily Dagbladet leads with a straightforward headline: a pilot stabbed his colleague and attempted to crash the plane. The flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, with approximately 180 Israeli passengers according to the two newspapers, triggered an alert on Wednesday, September 30, around 08:00 Norwegian time, according to Dagbladet.
The Norwegian press initially relies on Israeli sources. Defense Minister Israel Katz spoke of a "jihadist terrorist attempt" aimed at bringing down the aircraft and killing everyone on board. Dagbladet also cites a security source interviewed by the N12 channel, which mentions an attempt to "recreate a 9/11", either by diverting the plane towards the ground or crashing it. The newspaper specifies that, according to N12, the suspected pilot is of Omani origin, and that Haaretz indicates an investigation has been opened for a terrorist act.
Flight data takes center stage. The signal sent was a 7500 code, indicating a hijacking or unauthorized intrusion into the cockpit. Dagbladet describes a drop from 34,000 to 16,000 feet in less than two minutes; Aftenposten, whose article is reserved for subscribers, reports a descent to approximately 13,700 feet above northwest Saudi Arabia, shortly after 09:20, with several thousand meters lost per minute. Aftenposten notes that the alert was triggered by violence between two pilots and that Israeli authorities see it as terrorism.
The narrative then shifts to the people on board. According to Haaretz, as reported by Dagbladet, passengers forced their way into the cockpit and regained control; a team of pilots present on the plane, including one in civilian clothes, allegedly intervened. Dagbladet publishes a second article titled "Takker Yaniv, redningsmannen" (Thanks to Yaniv, the rescuer): Benyamin Netanyahu meets a passenger named Yaniv at Ben Gurion Airport, whom he calls a "great hero" and whose T-shirt is stained with blood. Yaniv says the pilot was trying to destroy the plane's instruments. Netanyahu adds that Israel is "prepared for potential threats".
The tone remains factual but dramatic, with the word "nightmare" and testimonies of "cries, panic, and fighting in the cockpit". Dagbladet specifies that the exact circumstances remain to be established by the investigation. The two media outlets do not elaborate on the consequences for the airline or the regional diplomatic context.
