Flydubai Passenger Recounts Terrifying Mid-Air Attack

A harrowing account has emerged from a Flydubai flight diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a serious incident in the cockpit. Maryam, a passenger, described the terrifying moments to her mother via phone on i24NEWS Hebrew, recounting screams and the sight of blood.

Maryam explained that about an hour or two before landing, passengers heard screams originating from the cockpit. Upon opening the cockpit door, they discovered blood and learned that an individual had allegedly attempted to kill the pilot with a small knife, causing the plane to lose control for several minutes. "We felt it was over, that we were about to crash," Maryam stated, adding that she prayed and feared dying as her mother's only child.

According to Maryam, Israeli passengers were instrumental in neutralizing the attacker. A nurse and a doctor on board provided initial medical aid to the injured pilot. Several other pilots on the flight reportedly helped regain control of the aircraft, enabling the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

While Maryam could not definitively confirm the attacker's identity or motive, she noted speculation that it might have been a crew member. She described the attacker being subdued using physical force. Following the landing, passengers were in a state of shock and panic. Medical personnel attended to the pilot, whose condition was described as not good. Passengers awaited further instructions, with rumors circulating about a potential transfer to a replacement aircraft to continue to Israel.

Maryam expressed the pervasive fear among passengers, stating, "We were all sure we wouldn't get out of here alive." She described the incident as potentially an "act of terrorism in the middle of a flight," estimating that the period of lost control lasted between ten minutes and a quarter of an hour.