A flydubai flight carrying over 170 people diverted to Saudi Arabia on September 30 after the copilot allegedly attacked the captain and attempted to crash the aircraft.
Key facts
- •The flight was carrying more than 170 mostly Israeli passengers and crew.
- •Videos verified by Reuters show a wounded captain and copilot, as well as blood inside the cabin.
- •Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested a crash axe kept on board may have been used as a weapon.
- •Saudi officials confirmed that both the captain and the copilot sustained injuries during the incident.
Flydubai flight 1073, carrying more than 170 passengers and crew, made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on September 30 following a mid-air struggle in the cockpit. Officials report that the copilot attacked the captain and appeared to attempt to crash the plane while in Saudi airspace. Passengers and off-duty pilots intervened to subdue the copilot and stabilize the aircraft.
By the numbers
Flight Incident and Emergency Response
The flight departed Dubai at 0305 GMT. At 0521 GMT, the aircraft made a sharp turn and performed two rapid descents, losing more than 16,000 feet in just over 30 seconds. During the descent, the plane reached a vertical speed of approximately 544 feet per second. The aircraft’s transponder was disabled for nearly 30 minutes, and the crew issued distress signals indicating unlawful interference before diverting to Tabuk.
Intervention and Subduing the Copilot
According to the captain and officials, the wounded captain managed to open the cockpit door while lying on the floor, allowing passengers to enter and confront the copilot. Witnesses reported the copilot was damaging the control panel. One passenger, who credited his actions to knowledge gained from watching an air-crash television program, helped steady the plane. Two off-duty pilots on board subsequently took control of the aircraft to complete the landing.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Al-Monitor, Straits Times World.
