Flydubai Plane Plunges 16,000 Feet After Co-Pilot Attack
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A Flydubai plane plunged 16,000 feet after a co-pilot attacked the captain.
- Passengers and a reserve crew regained control of the aircraft.
- The incident is being investigated as a terrorist attack.
- President Trump lauded the plane's robust structural design.
- The co-pilot's background is under investigation.
Passengers on Flydubai flight FZ1073 experienced extreme terror when their plane plunged approximately 16,000 feet, or 4,877 meters, in just 30 seconds. Those not wearing seatbelts would have been lifted from their seats, he explained.
The terrifying descent began after the co-pilot, identified as Omani citizen Al-Hamami, attacked the captain with an emergency axe. The UAE's attorney general has labeled the incident a "terrorist attack," a designation echoed by Israel. Prior to the dive, the autopilot was disengaged and the plane accelerated.
The disaster was averted when passengers heroically subdued the co-pilot. A reserve flight crew then managed to stabilize the aircraft and bring it to a safe landing.
U.S. President Donald Trump commented on the aircraft's resilience, stating it demonstrated "amazing structural design" and withstood forces beyond its specifications. Investigators are examining Al-Hamami's background, including a brief training period at Royal Air Maroc in 2025, studies in remote aviation management in the UK, and past education in Melbourne, Australia.
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