Passengers Subdue Stabbing Pilot on Flydubai Flight to Israel
A flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was suddenly thrown into chaos when a pilot stabbed the co‑pilot and appeared to try to disable the plane. Passengers on board quickly took action, forcing the attacker into a chokehold and pulling him out of the cockpit by the same very individual who had been attacked.
The plane, which plummeted 17,000 feet in less than two minutes, was stabilized by the remaining pilot and an additional crew member who had been sitting in the passenger cabin. The standoff lasted only a few seconds, but the crew’s swift response prevented a potential disaster.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the passenger for his courage, calling him a “hero” and a “lion.” The incident left the stabbed pilot in a hospital in Saudi Arabia, where he is reported to be in stable condition.
The attacker was detained by Saudi authorities and is awaiting questioning. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz labelled the incident an attempted “jihadist terror attack,” although no motive has yet been disclosed.
After the emergency landing at Tabuk, the flight’s passengers were escorted to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on a repatriation aircraft. Clownish scenes of celebrations — with music, dancing and Israeli flags — greeted the survivors as they stepped off the plane, a stark contrast to the terror felt in the hours before.
