Pilot stabbed in apparent hijacking attempt: Israel
A co-pilot stabs pilot, then apparently tries to crash plane before passengers intervene.
Source: X
A pilot on an Israel-bound flight has been stabbed by his co-pilot who was allegedly trying to “crash the plane”, with passengers fearing for their lives as the aircraft went into freefall.
The terror unfolded on Flydubai flight FZ1073 from the United Arab Emirates to Tel Avi on Wednesday (local time), with more than 170 Israeli passengers on board.
A group of hero passengers burst into the cockpit after the aircraft “entered a tailspin and began to dive”, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
He said the passengers found the co-pilot “trying to sabotage the plane’s systems”.
“They saved many lives. They prevented a heavy disaster,” he said.
A Netanyahu spokesman said the wounded pilot, who was covered with blood and lying on the floor, had clicked open the release on the cockpit door.
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A second set of pilots on board, who were due to replace the first pair, safely landed the plane.
A photo of the pilot who was stabbed. Photo: Supplied
One of the bloodied passengers spoke to Netanyahu after landing, telling him he grabbed the co-pilot in a chokehold and dragged him from the cockpit.
“I called out to a bunch of Israelis on board, and two other guys came over. We pinned him down,” Yaniv Hayoun said.
“I jumped back, grabbed the controls, and started pulling back the handles.”
The aircraft’s flight data showed it suddenly and rapidly descended nearly 14,000 feet (4270 metres) in less than 30 seconds before a first emergency signal was sent on Wednesday morning (local time), according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.
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Israeli officials say the co-pilot tried to crash the plane after stabbing the pilot but passengers subdued him while other pilots landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia.
Yasmin Abukasis said her daughter Miriam, who was among those on board, told her that she had heard screaming and that a man holding a knife had forced one pilot onto the floor, and that there was blood everywhere.
Describing the event as “a highly severe security incident”, Netanyahu said Saudi authorities would interrogate the co-pilot.
Flydubai said in a statement that reasons for the incident were not yet known. It warned against “premature speculation”.
Netanyahu said the co-pilot, who an Israeli official identified as an Omani citizen, was arrested after the plane landed.
Israel’s transport ministry said there would be a joint investigation with the defence establishment.
“All passengers are out of harm’s way,” Netanyahu said in a video statement released by his office.
He has also ordered tighter security on Israeli and non-Israeli carriers flying into Israel.
The passengers departed Saudi Arabia for Israel aboard a Flydubai replacement aircraft after eight hours on the ground. The replacement flight landed in Israel.
Israeli media has published a photo purportedly taken from inside the plane, which appeared to show a passenger’s blood-soaked shirt.
Flydubai operates daily return flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, a route that is popular among Israelis.
Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk airport, where the plane landed, said both pilots had been hospitalised after sustaining injuries.
-with AAP
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