Flydubai Passenger Recounts Pilot Stabbing, Near-Crash During Flight

A harrowing incident aboard a Flydubai flight to Dubai forced an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a violent altercation occurred in the cockpit. A passenger, Miriam, recounted the terrifying moments to i24NEWS, describing screams and blood, leading passengers to believe they would not survive.

Miriam explained that for an hour or two before landing, screams were heard from the cockpit. The cockpit door was opened, revealing a scene of significant bleeding, indicating an attempt to stab the pilot with a knife. She stated the plane lost control for several minutes, causing passengers to fear a crash. Israeli passengers are credited with subduing the assailant and providing initial medical aid to the injured pilot, assisted by an onboard nurse and doctor. Several pilots on the flight then took control and managed the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

While the exact nature of the attacker remains unclear, Miriam noted speculation that it might be a crew member, but emphasized uncertainty. She described the aftermath as one of trauma and panic, with emergency services attending to the pilot, whose condition is reported as serious. Passengers are awaiting further instructions, with rumors of a replacement aircraft to fly them to Israel.

Miriam's mother, Yasmin, who was waiting at Ben Gurion Airport, shared her distress upon hearing the news. Yasmin revealed she had lost her son, Itamar Abukasis, on October 7th and was awaiting Miriam's return for his upcoming memorial. She expressed immense gratitude that the situation ended without a worse outcome, despite the severe fear her daughter experienced.

The incident began with a sharp turn and unusual deceleration, causing the aircraft to disappear from radar and lose communication with air traffic control, initially raising fears of a hijacking. Israeli Air Force jets were scrambled but were later recalled after communication was reestablished and the disturbance was assessed as a non-nationalistic brawl.