Two people from Sydney were on board flight to Tel Aviv that was dramatically diverted to Saudi Arabia after one pilot allegedly stabbed the other

• Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates

• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

Two Australian citizens onboard a flight to Tel Aviv that was diverted after one of the pilots allegedly stabbed the other in an attack are “safe,” the foreign minister confirmed.

The passengers are a Jewish couple from Sydney, the Israeli embassy in Australia confirmed to the Guardian on Thursday.