Passengers Recount Terror Flight Hijacking, Crew's Suspicious Demands

Israeli passengers on a Flydubai terror flight have recounted the harrowing moments they subdued a hijacker who attacked the captain and attempted to crash the plane. In interviews with The New York Post, survivors described how three civilians, Zvika Ma'ans, Yeniv Hayon, and Assaf Rejwan, intervened after co-pilot Mamam Al-Hamami attacked the Indian captain, Smith Machar, with an axe. The captain, though severely injured, managed to open the cockpit door, allowing the passengers to storm in and overpower the hijacker.

During the struggle, the hijacker, identified as Al-Hamami, reportedly shouted, "Kill me, kill me." However, the passengers, including Ma'ans and Daniel Schlichter, subdued him using zip ties and later headphone cords, ensuring he remained alive for questioning. They even provided him with an oxygen mask, emphasizing their desire for him to survive for interrogation.

Adding to the terror, passengers reported a disturbing confrontation with some flight crew members who, according to their accounts, demanded that the Israelis release the subdued hijacker. "They asked us to release the hijacker, we had no idea why," said Ma'ans. Schlichter added, "They told us to release the hijacker, we immediately started suspecting them." The passengers refused, asserting their control over the situation and insisting the crew follow their orders.

Ma'ans, who was traveling with his wife and three daughters, aged 11, 7, and 6, stated that hearing his children cry, "Daddy, I don't want to die," was his primary motivation to fight. The violent struggle occurred as the plane rapidly lost altitude, plunging thousands of feet. Schlichter, 59, recalled believing it was the end and thinking of the 9/11 attacks.

Ma'ans remained with the bound hijacker until the plane made a safe emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Passengers experienced shock and distress after the ordeal, with many initially hesitant to board another Flydubai flight. Schlichter described the event as a miracle, attributing their survival to divine intervention.