Passengers aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel were thrown into panic on Wednesday after one of the pilots allegedly stabbed his co-pilot and attempted to take control of the aircraft.
The incident occurred aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, carrying about 150 Israeli passengers, as the Boeing 737 was travelling from Dubai to Israel.
According to flight-tracking data cited in reports, the aircraft dramatically lost approximately 13,000 feet in about 30 seconds and veered off its course, triggering fears that the plane could crash.
The situation reportedly escalated when passengers heard screams coming from the cockpit. Some passengers subsequently rushed toward the cockpit after it was opened and found one of the pilots bleeding.
A passenger who spoke to Israel’s Channel 12 described the terrifying moments aboard the aircraft.
“We heard screams on the plane. Then they opened the cockpit and we saw blood, and someone had stabbed the pilot with a pocketknife.”
The passenger added: “We prayed. There were also moments when we thought we weren’t going to make it out alive.”
According to the reports, two other pilots who were aboard the flight intervened and took control of the aircraft, preventing a potentially catastrophic outcome.
The aircraft was subsequently diverted and made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where security personnel took charge of the situation.
The passengers were later safely evacuated from the aircraft.
Israeli officials described the incident as one in which a “major disaster was narrowly avoided.”
Israeli security agencies, including the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Mossad and Shin Bet, are reportedly examining the incident as a possible act of terrorism.
The circumstances surrounding the alleged stabbing, including the identity and motive of the attacker and how the cockpit was accessed, remain subject to investigation.
NewsMediaNG will continue to monitor developments as authorities provide further details.
