Midair Attack and Passenger Response
A copilot on a FlyDubai jet bound for Israel attacked the captain with a knife on Wednesday, in what appeared to be an attempt to crash the aircraft while it carried 174 people, according to witnesses and the Israeli government. As the plane went into a steep descent, passengers broke into the cockpit and fought with the assailant, the accounts said. The struggle inside the flight deck became the decisive moment that prevented a larger disaster.[S1]
The flight had departed Dubai and was headed to Tel Aviv when the violence erupted. The aircraft was diverted and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. No details were provided about the condition of the captain or the attacker after the landing, nor about how the passengers managed to overpower the copilot during the descent.[S1]
Aftermath and Arrival in Israel
The passengers, visibly shaken, reached Israel on Wednesday evening aboard a different flight. Onlookers cheered as they arrived, according to the account. The emergency landing in Saudi Arabia marked an unusual stop for a flight that had been bound for Tel Aviv, and the transfer to another aircraft allowed the travelers to complete their journey the same day.[S1]
