All 180 passengers aboard a flydubai flight traveling from Dubai to Israel miraculously survived after the co-pilot attempted a knife attack inside the cockpit mid-flight, which was thwarted by the bravery of two off-duty pilots and crew members traveling as passengers.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, operating Flight FZ1073 from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, encountered the severe and unexpected crisis mid-air on Wednesday (September 30).
According to detailed reports of the incident, a violent bloody brawl erupted inside the cockpit when one pilot suddenly attacked the other with a folding pocket knife, spreading intense panic throughout the cabin.
According to CNN and flight-tracking data, at around 1:20 AM local time while cruising at 34,000 feet, the aircraft plummeted rapidly by 17,400 feet within a span of just two minutes, dropping to 16,600 feet.
The sudden rapid descent and screams emanating from the cockpit triggered chaotic panic among the passengers. A passenger named Miriam reported that when the cockpit door opened, they saw blood inside and noticed one pilot’s shirt completely soaked in blood.
Immediately following the incident at 1:32 AM, the flight crew initially transmitted the general emergency squawk code ‘7700’. However, as the situation escalated, the transponder code was changed to ‘7500’, indicating unlawful interference or a potential hijacking.
Given that dozens of Israeli citizens were onboard, Israel immediately scrambled fighter jets from Tel Aviv upon receiving the ‘7500’ code over fears of a potential hijacking. While initially described as a personal altercation, authorities are not ruling out acts of terrorism.
At one point, two off-duty pilots traveling in passenger seats, along with cabin crew and several Israeli passengers, overpowered the violent attacker. Subsequently, the two off-duty pilots assumed full control of the aircraft.
Instead of continuing toward Tel Aviv, they swiftly altered course across Jordanian airspace and executed a miraculous, safe emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia at around 1:35 AM.
Confirming the incident, the operating authority of Tabuk Airport stated that both injured pilots were immediately rescued and admitted to a local hospital for medical treatment. All 180 passengers and crew members remained completely unharmed and safe.
