Tel Aviv [Israel], September 30 (ANI): Passengers aboard a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv recounted scenes of panic, including screams, blood in the cockpit and a sudden dive, after the aircraft made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, with Israeli passengers reportedly helping crew restrain an attacker, The Times of Israel reported.
A passenger told Israeli media that passengers heard screams before the cockpit was opened and blood was seen inside.
“We heard screams on the plane. Then they opened the cockpit, and we saw blood, and someone had stabbed the pilot with a pocketknife,” the unnamed woman told the network via text message, according to The Times of Israel.
She said Israeli passengers helped restrain the attacker along with members of the crew.
“We prayed, ‘Shema Yisrael,’” she said. “There were also moments when we thought we weren’t going to make it out alive.”
Another passenger, who identified herself as Noam, told Channel 12 that passengers realised something was wrong after hearing screams.
“Screams began on the plane, by passengers who realized what was happening. We understand that one of the pilots was stabbed and seriously wounded, and they lost control of the plane. It started to dive quickly. It was very scary,” she said.
The Times of Israel reported that very little official information was immediately available, while Israeli officials said an emergency signal appeared to have been issued after a fight apparently broke out between the pilots. The exact circumstances had not been confirmed by flydubai.
Earlier, unconfirmed reports in Hebrew media, based on passenger testimonies, said one pilot had attempted to crash the aircraft and was stopped by the second pilot with the help of passengers. The reports remained unconfirmed and could not be independently verified.
Flight FZ1073, carrying a reported 180 passengers, including dozens of Israelis, initially transmitted squawk code 7700, an international emergency signal, before briefly transmitting code 7500, which indicates hijacking or unlawful interference, while flying over Saudi Arabia, according to The Times of Israel.
Israeli Air Force fighter jets were scrambled to intercept the aircraft amid fears of a hijacking after Israeli authorities were unable to establish contact with the plane.
The aircraft later made contact and landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
The Times of Israel reported that publicly available flight data showed the Boeing 737 MAX had made a sharp descent during the flight, dropping from around 34,000 feet to approximately 17,000 feet in under a minute. The aircraft subsequently recovered partially before descending again and later continued at around 15,000 feet.
The Prime Minister's Office said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held consultations following concerns over the aviation incident and was monitoring developments.
In a post on X, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said, “Following concerns over an aviation incident, Prime Minister Netanyahu held consultations on the matter and is monitoring developments."
Prime Minister's Office announcement:
Following concerns over an aviation incident, Prime Minister Netanyahu held consultations on the matter and is monitoring developments.
The incident is under control, and all measures are currently being deployed in order to return the…
“The incident is under control, and all measures are currently being deployed in order to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel,” it added.
Meanwhile, flydubai confirmed that the aircraft had experienced an incident while en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
“flydubai can confirm that flight FZ 1073 operating from Dubai International (DXB) to Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) on 30 September experienced an incident while en route. The aircraft has landed safely in Tabuk (TUU) and all passengers are safe and accounted for. The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority,” Israeli Media quoted the Airline as saying.
“Our teams are working closely with the relevant authorities. Further updates will be issued as additional confirmed details become available,” the airline said.
Following the emergency landing, flydubai was sending a second aircraft to Tabuk Airport to transport the stranded passengers to Tel Aviv. The Times of Israel said there was no immediate estimated time of arrival for the replacement flight.
The incident remained under investigation, with the airline saying further updates would be issued once additional confirmed details became available. (ANI)
