Passengers say flydubai co-pilot stabbed captain as jet plunged toward Saudi Arabia
Aboard flydubai flight FZ1073 say the aircraft suddenly dropped from cruising altitude after a co-pilot stabbed the captain, throwing the cabin in...
Passengers aboard flydubai flight FZ1073 say the aircraft suddenly dropped from cruising altitude after a co-pilot stabbed the captain, throwing the cabin into chaos before a reserve crew landed the jet in Saudi Arabia.
The accounts, shared after the flight touched down in Tabuk and passengers returned to Israel on Sept. 30, describe a frightening scene in which travelers raced toward the front of the cabin as the plane plunged sharply from around 34,000 feet. One passenger, Almog Italie, said the drop felt at first like severe turbulence. Then the truth hit. Fast.
Struggle in the cockpit
Israeli officials said the co-pilot tried to crash the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight, which carried more than 170 Israelis. A passenger subdued the co-pilot after the attack, while the wounded captain managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing others to get control of the situation.
Italie said he saw commotion near the cockpit as passengers moved forward. The captain lay injured on the floor, he recounted, while the aircraft kept descending. Another crew member and travelers helped restrain the attacker. For a few moments, the cabin was pure panic.
Safe landing after the attack
A reserve crew aboard the aircraft then took over and landed the plane safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Flydubai said the reasons behind the incident remained unknown and urged against speculation.
Israeli officials praised the passengers who intervened. Their actions, they said, helped prevent a far worse outcome on a flight that had already turned violent in midair. The episode is now drawing scrutiny over cockpit security and airline procedures on regional routes that connect Gulf hubs with Israel.
Authorities and the airline have yet to explain what drove the attack. That investigation now sits at the center of the story, with passengers' testimony likely to shape the next phase of the inquiry.
Source: reuters.com
