FlyDubai Flight to Israel Diverted After Pilot Attacked

A FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Israel experienced several hours of chaos when an attacker assaulted the cockpit. Passengers reported seeing blood, hearing screams, and experiencing panic during the incident, which forced the plane to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Videos shared by passengers after landing showed the aftermath, with one man on board reporting that the attacker had been subdued but the pilot was injured. He requested assistance before the plane's landing.

Other footage depicted confusion in the cabin as passengers tried to understand what was happening at the front of the plane, while the crew instructed them to remain seated. Calls for silence were heard at one point. After the safe landing in Saudi Arabia, passengers applauded and sang, supporting each other after the ordeal.

Among the passengers was Zvika Manes, CEO of insurance company Barak Leumi, who reportedly helped subdue the attacker along with other passengers and crew members. Manes stated that his wife was near the cockpit when screams were heard from inside, and a reserve pilot responded. Manes, along with two others, helped control the assailant. The primary pilot sustained a knife wound during the struggle and received first aid from a doctor on board.

Another passenger, Miriam, told i24NEWS that blood was visible near the cockpit after the initial screams, and passengers feared the plane might crash. She confirmed that a doctor and nurse aided the injured pilot, and passengers and crew subdued the attacker before the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

However, the passengers' difficulties continued after landing. A replacement aircraft sent from Israel to transport them home diverted shortly after takeoff and returned to Dubai, leaving the Israeli passengers stranded in Saudi Arabia. Israel is considering sending a civilian or military aircraft to bring them back.