Israeli Passenger Recounts Flydubai Hijacking Attempt and Forced Landing

An Israeli passenger, Ofer Dubrowski, has shared new details about an attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight he was on, returning from Kathmandu. Dubrowski recounted how passengers subdued the co-pilot after he attacked the captain, leading to a forced landing in Saudi Arabia. The incident occurred on September 30th aboard flight FZ1073, en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Dubrowski, who was asleep, awoke to commotion and discovered the co-pilot had stabbed the captain. Passengers, with the help of a flight attendant, managed to overpower the co-pilot, restraining him with headphone wires and later plastic ties. Following the co-pilot's neutralization, the aircraft experienced a sudden and significant loss of altitude, dropping approximately 5.5 kilometers. Passengers remained vigilant for about an hour, monitoring the crew, though Dubrowski noted there were no further threats. His wife, a psychotherapist, helped calm passengers who were experiencing panic. Dubrowski identified the landing location as Saudi Arabia using his phone's GPS. He described the landing as surprisingly smooth, with the pilot crediting the Boeing aircraft. After landing, emergency services and military personnel met the passengers, who were accommodated and provided for. Due to communication issues, Dubrowski purchased SIM cards for about 20 Israeli passengers to contact their families. He emphasized that everyone on board played a role in the aircraft's rescue.