Passengers Thwart Pilot's Attempted Hijacking and Crash

A Flydubai flight en route to Israel experienced a dramatic mid-air incident when a co-pilot, identified as being of Omani origin, allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to crash the plane. Passenger Yitzhak Liber recounted the terrifying moments, describing the cabin filling with blood and the struggle to subdue the assailant. "We jumped and took him out of the cockpit. The terrorist is neutralized. There is a seriously injured pilot and another injured pilot who managed to land the plane," Liber stated in a video posted after the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. He added that he and other passengers acted as "heroes" to prevent a catastrophe.

Another passenger, heard in a separate video, stated, "We are guarding the cockpit door. No one enters." This individual also mentioned that the assailant was injured during the struggle. The incident is being investigated by Israeli authorities, who are examining how the Omani pilot was cleared to fly to Israel, given the stringent security checks required for foreign crew members, especially from Arab nations.

A senior Israeli official told N12 that the co-pilot "tried to do a 9/11" and that a "dramatic disaster was averted." The official indicated the plane began to dive before the pilots and passengers regained control. The injured captain was taken for medical treatment in Saudi Arabia following the landing in Tabuk. The investigation is focusing on the security vetting process that allowed the co-pilot onto the flight.