Israeli Passengers Overpower Co-Pilot Who Stabbed Captain on Flydubai Flight to Tel Aviv
- A flydubai Boeing 737 MAX plunged 18,000 feet after a co-pilot stabbed the captain and attempted to seize control of the aircraft
- Three Israeli passengers rushed into the cockpit after hearing a struggle and physically subdued the bloodied suspect mid-flight
- Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed the incident was a jihadist terrorist attack targeting all 174 people on board
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ISRAEL/SAUDI ARABIA — A co-pilot aboard a flydubai Boeing 737 MAX stabbed the lead captain and attempted to crash the aircraft during a flight bound for Tel Aviv, in what Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has confirmed was a jihadist terrorist attack.
According to the New York Post, the aircraft lost approximately 18,000 feet in altitude as the attacker tried to seize control of the cockpit. Three Israeli male passengers responded after hearing a commotion from inside the cockpit, forced their way through and physically restrained the suspect. Two off-duty relief pilots who were on board then stepped in to stabilise the plane and divert it safely to Saudi Arabia.
Israeli passengers credited with saving 174 lives
Katz praised the passengers' actions in a public statement, saying the attack "was thwarted only thanks to the bravery of several Israeli passengers who broke into the cockpit, overpowered the terrorist and, with their own hands, restored control of the plane to another flight crew who was present there."
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Video footage from inside the cabin captured passengers gripping their seats and weeping as the aircraft tilted sharply downwards during the rapid descent.
Suspect Identified as Omani National Employed by Flydubai
The co-pilot behind the attack has been identified as an Omani national who had been employed by Flydubai for only a few months before the incident. He stabbed the captain as the flight was on approach to Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Saudi authorities arrested the suspect upon the plane's landing. Regional authorities and aviation security officials have since launched investigations into the security clearance procedures applied by the foreign carrier when hiring the attacker. The 174 passengers on board were not harmed in the incident, owing in large part to the swift response of the Israeli civilians and the two relief pilots who managed the emergency landing.
Aircraft crashes in Midrand
In a related article, Briefly News reported on the light aircraft crash near a business complex in Randjesfontein, Midrand, that left two people injured, as authorities investigate its cause. The incident drew concern and dry humour online, amid a debate over aviation safety sparked by criticism of an Airlink flyover.
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Source: Briefly News
