Abstract:
The pilot of a FlyDubai airliner was attacked by a colleague in the cockpit, almost causing disaster. One day after the incident, more details emerged about how all parties worked to stabilize the plane and rescue the 174 passengers on board.
After speaking with returning passengers at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion Airport, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed more details of the mid-air scare to the media. Netanyahu said late Wednesday that the attacker stabbed or hit another pilot with an ax and was subdued by passengers who arrived at the scene.
Netanyahu said that "the pilot present at the time was an Indian pilot" and that he was "very seriously injured." "I think he's still fighting for his life right now, but he showed incredible courage and managed to open the cockpit door."
A thrilling scene on board a Boeing 737 Max passenger plane on Wednesday morning turned around due to the timely intervention of passengers and a team of backup crew members. However, some key details remain unclear, including the motive for the attack, whether the pilot involved acted alone, and what political and economic impact the incident may have. In the context of the Iran war, the region is already facing more severe security concerns.
On September 30, passengers arriving at Tel Aviv Ben-Gurion Airport.
Dubai has suspended flights to and from Israel while the investigation is ongoing. The UAE Civil Aviation Authority and the Saudi National Transport Safety Center said they would also investigate the incident.
Most of the people on board were Israelis. After an unusual flight, the plane made an emergency landing at Tabuk, a regional airport in Saudi Arabia, from where the crew was eventually flown back to Israel.
Dubai Air said that the reasons and motives behind the incident are currently unclear and "remain pending formal investigation"; UAE authorities called it a "security incident".
A key clue in the investigation will be the "black boxes" containing cockpit voice recordings and flight data. The currently known flight path shows that the aircraft suddenly dived sharply before regaining stability. Unconfirmed footage of the plane parked on the tarmac at a Saudi airport showed damage to its vertical tail, suggesting the plane may have been subjected to extreme forces.
In a video released by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, the first passenger to rush to the cockpit told Netanyahu that after pulling the attacker away from the pilot and out of the cockpit, he grabbed the controls and pulled back.
The passenger's name was Yaniv Hayun. He said to Netanyahu who looked in disbelief, "Mr. Prime Minister, I watch "Sky"." Hayun said that the plane then began to regain its balance, and then an off-duty pilot who arrived at the scene said that he would take over the control.
On September 30, the return flight arrived in Tel Aviv.
Currently, officials have not announced the nationality of the pilot who launched the attack, and Netanyahu only revealed that the other pilot was of Indian nationality. Both pilots were taken to hospitals in Saudi Arabia with injuries, and authorities are questioning the pilot who carried out the armed attack.
The attempted hijacking occurred at a time of heightened geopolitical tension. Netanyahu is up for re-election in weeks and has focused his campaign on strengthening security while the United States and Iran remain locked in a standoff.
The incident may prompt some undecided voters to support Netanyahu, but his main rivals have also pledged to make security a top priority. Netanyahu has promised to investigate the incident thoroughly.
Netanyahu told the media, "So we will find out and trace the origins of this attacker. Whether he has accomplices and whether Iran is behind the scenes, I think we will find out soon."
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