Child's Scream Alerts Passengers to Attack in Cockpit on FlyDubai Flight

A six-year-old girl, Nina Manes, is credited with helping to alert passengers to an attempted hijacking on a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. While on her way to the restroom with her mother, Tali Manes, Nina noticed blood in the cockpit. Her scream alerted others to the unfolding crisis.

According to investigators, the co-pilot attacked the captain with a knife in an attempt to seize control of the aircraft approximately two and a half hours after takeoff. Tali Manes described seeing the cockpit "full of blood" and hearing "very sharp movements" during the struggle. She recounted shouting, "He is stabbing the pilot, he is stabbing the pilot, go help!" but initially, passengers did not grasp the severity of the situation.

Nina's father, Tsvika Manes, stated that the screams of his children, who cried "Dad, we don't want to die" as the plane rapidly descended, spurred him to intervene. The aircraft dropped from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in about a minute. The Boeing 737 Max 8 then performed an unstable maneuver before landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

A dentist on board, Shota Musaev, provided aid to the injured captain, identified as Indian national Captain Smith Machchhar. Musaev administered oxygen and stemmed the bleeding. The suspected attacker, an Omani national, was apprehended by Saudi authorities.

Saudi Arabia is collaborating with the UAE, the US, Oman, and Israel to investigate the incident, exploring motives ranging from terrorism to mental health issues. Israeli intelligence and security personnel are reportedly assisting in the investigation, and Israel has requested the suspect's extradition, though it is unclear if this will be granted. The UAE is leading the investigation due to the aircraft's registration and UAE law applying to crimes committed aboard.