Flydubai Co-Pilot Attacks Captain on Flight to Tel Aviv
Passengers and off-duty pilots prevented a crash after a Flydubai co-pilot stabbed the captain mid-flight, forcing an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
A Flydubai flight carrying 182 people narrowly avoided a crash after a first officer attacked and stabbed the captain in the cockpit. The assault left the captain badly wounded, causing the aircraft to drop and spin in a severe descent that tore away part of the plane's rudder.
Flydubai reported that the captain managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers to rush the area, seize the assailant, and subdue him. Two off-duty crew members traveling on the flight then entered the cockpit to seize control of the aircraft. After a mayday call and approximately 10 minutes of stabilization efforts, the crew diverted the plane to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu characterized the incident as "an act of terror." However, analysts from Cable News Network, Inc. suggested the event resembled previous instances of "suicide by pilot," citing similarities to the Germanwings and EgyptAir Flight 990 crashes. The airline has declined to publicly identify the crew members who intervened to save the flight.
