After a struggle in the cockpit

Flydubai Passenger: “We Overpowered the Terrorist”

A Flydubai aircraft (stock photo)(Bild: AP/AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur)

Following the dramatic, bloody incident aboard a Flydubai flight, passengers described the tense scenes. “We are in the middle of a hijacking,” one passenger explained even before the plane landed. “We have overpowered the terrorist for now and are preparing to land.”

The co-pilot, from Oman, apparently tried to take control of the plane—and in the process, he likely injured the pilot with a knife. A witness who helped subdue the perpetrator described the chaotic scenes. “My wife was standing near the cockpit because my daughter was in the restroom. Suddenly, she heard screams coming from the cockpit,” Zvika Manes, a bank manager, told the magazine “Calcalist.”

“I’m covered in blood from head to toe”
She then called out to another pilot from the cabin to look into the cockpit. “He called for help, and two others and I entered the cockpit and subdued the terrorist. I’m covered in blood from head to toe. It was madness,” the passenger said.  

Pictures on social media show passengers with blood on their clothes after the struggle in the cockpit:

Videos on social media also show the pilot lying on the floor of the plane, covered in blood, as passengers administer first aid. An oxygen mask was placed on him. Next to him lay the apparently handcuffed co-pilot, who did not appear to be conscious.

Passengers filmed the commotion during the tense incident:

Another passenger also posted on social media while the plane was still in the air. “The terrorist has been neutralized,” he is quoted as saying by “Ynet.” “One pilot is seriously injured, and apparently there is another pilot in the cockpit who is also injured but able to land the plane. Two crew members are in the cockpit. We made sure they locked the door.”

Another Israeli woman told the N12 news channel that she heard screams on the plane and then saw a lot of blood in the cockpit. “There were moments when we thought we wouldn’t make it out alive.”

The co-pilot is believed to have attempted to crash the Flydubai aircraft. Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir stated that a “terrorist” had intended to “murder the 180 Israelis on board.” 

After a signal indicating an unauthorized intrusion was transmitted from the plane, it began a very steep descent. The plane eventually landed safely in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia. 

Violation of Air Services Agreement with Israel?
Israel’s Transportation Minister Miri Regev ordered an investigation into whether the UAE may have violated the aviation agreement with Israel. Under the agreement, only citizens of countries with which Israel maintains diplomatic relations are permitted to serve as pilots on flights to Israel—a provision that does not apply to Oman.