Israeli Passengers Recount Terror Flight Hijacking, Crew Demands

Israeli passengers aboard a Flydubai terror flight have recounted the harrowing moments they subdued a hijacker who attacked the captain and attempted to crash the plane. The passengers, including Zvika Ma'anes, Daniel Schlichter, Yaniv Chayun, and Assaf Rejwan, described how they intervened after the co-pilot, Mhamad Al-Hamami, attacked the Indian captain, Smith Machar, with an axe. Despite the captain's severe injuries, he managed to open the cockpit door, allowing the Israeli passengers to overpower and restrain the hijacker.

During the struggle, the hijacker reportedly shouted, "Kill me, kill me." However, a disturbing incident occurred when some flight crew members allegedly demanded that the passengers release the hijacker after he had been neutralized. "They told us, 'You are not God, you are not going to kill him,'" Ma'anes recalled. Schlichter added, "They told us to release the hijacker, we immediately started suspecting them."

The passengers, concerned about the hijacker's motives and whether he acted alone, refused to comply. They insisted that they were now in charge of the aircraft and that the crew must follow their instructions. The passengers moved the crew members away from the cockpit area, while off-duty pilots in the rear of the plane assisted in securing the situation. The passengers provided the injured hijacker with an oxygen mask, stating they wanted him to remain alive for questioning.

Ma'anes was traveling with his wife and three daughters, aged 11, 7, and 6, when the attack began. He described his daughters' cries of "Daddy, I don't want to die" as his primary motivation to fight. The violent struggle caused the plane to lose altitude rapidly, dropping approximately 17,000 feet. Schlichter, 59, believed it was the end, recalling thoughts of 9/11 and his family.

Ma'anes remained with the bound hijacker until the plane made a safe landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Passengers experienced shock and anxiety after the ordeal, with many initially hesitant to board another Flydubai flight. Schlichter described the event as a statistical impossibility, suggesting divine intervention played a role in their survival.