Flydubai Passenger Recounts Terror of Co-Pilot Attack and Forced Landing

Ofer Dubrowski, an Israeli passenger returning from a trip to Kathmandu, described the harrowing experience aboard a Flydubai flight where the co-pilot attacked the captain. Dubrowski recounted waking up to the chaos, with blood found in the cockpit after the co-pilot stabbed the captain. Passengers, alerted by a woman who heard screams, managed to subdue the co-pilot after a struggle. Shortly after the co-pilot was restrained, the aircraft began a steep dive of approximately 5,500 meters in 30 seconds, an event attributed to potential damage to flight controls by the co-pilot.

Following the incident, Israeli fighter jets were scrambled. The flight, with a wounded captain and a subdued co-pilot, was diverted to Saudi Arabia. Dubrowski noted that for the remaining hour of the flight, passengers felt anxious and secured the cockpit themselves, with some escorting the flight attendants due to lingering fears of complicity. His wife, a psychiatrist, helped calm distressed passengers.

The landing in Saudi Arabia was surprisingly smooth, with the pilot crediting the aircraft's design. Upon arrival, passengers were met by emergency services and military personnel. Dubrowski purchased SIM cards for many Israelis on board to allow them to contact their families.

A replacement crew later arrived to fly the plane, but passengers were initially apprehensive, especially when asked to sit in the same seats. Dubrowski spoke with the new pilots, informing them of the events, and emphasized that all passengers contributed to managing the situation. The article also references a report that the co-pilot had previously been banned from flying in Oman due to "Islamic radicalization."