Passengers and crew members on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv helped prevent a potential disaster on Wednesday after a co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain and the aircraft plunged thousands of feet.
Flight FZ1073, carrying 174 people, was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when an incident occurred inside the cockpit. Israeli officials said the co-pilot stabbed the captain and subsequently attempted to take control of the aircraft. The plane then descended sharply before control was restored.
According to Reuters, the aircraft dropped by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds, causing panic among passengers. People initially thought the plane was experiencing severe turbulence before they realised something more serious was happening near the cockpit.
Passengers and crew members moved toward the cockpit after noticing the aircraft’s rapid descent. They managed to overpower the co-pilot and help secure the cockpit.
Two other Flydubai pilots who were travelling as passengers on the aircraft then assisted in taking control of the plane. The aircraft was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. The captain and co-pilot were taken to hospital for treatment.
The passengers remained at Tabuk for several hours before Flydubai arranged another aircraft to transport them to Tel Aviv. They eventually arrived at Ben Gurion Airport, where relatives and friends gathered to receive them.
The injured captain was identified as Smit Machchhar, an Indian national. India’s embassy in Saudi Arabia said he was receiving medical treatment and was in stable condition.
The motive behind the incident remains unclear. Flydubai said the reasons and circumstances were still under investigation and urged people not to draw premature conclusions. Saudi authorities arrested and questioned the co-pilot after the aircraft landed.
The incident has prompted immediate concerns about aviation security and pilot screening. Israeli authorities said they would increase security checks on pilots operating flights into the country, including pilots working for foreign airlines.
The United Arab Emirates’ General Civil Aviation Authority has also launched an investigation to establish exactly what happened inside the cockpit and why the confrontation occurred. Flydubai subsequently suspended flights to and from Israel while the investigation continued.
The incident has drawn international attention because of the number of people on board and the rapid response from passengers, crew members and the off-duty pilots travelling on the aircraft.
Although the plane suffered damage during the incident, all passengers were able to reach Israel safely after the emergency landing and replacement flight.
Authorities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Israel are expected to continue investigating the incident, including the co-pilot’s actions, the security procedures surrounding the flight and the circumstances that led to the loss of control.
