After the scary mid-air drama, which saw a flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv in Israel transmit a hijacking signal before landing safely in Saudi Arabia, reports claim that one of the pilots of the plane attempted suicide, resulting in the melee.
An initial investigation of the flight data raises a strong suspicion that one of the flight crew members attempted to commit suicide and crash the plane onto its passengers, according to Israeli media C-14.
THE WEEK could not verify these reports.
The incident happened on Wednesday when the flight initially transmitted code 7700, intended for a general emergency, and later switched to code 7500, which indicates a possible unlawful interference or hijacking.
The plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk airport, following which it landed safely. An Israeli official told Reuters that the pilots had transmitted the emergency signals after getting into a violent fight with each other. It was not immediately clear if either pilot had intentionally transmitted the signal.
However, a report by C14 said one of the pilots could have attempted suicide. The plane, which had about 180 Israeli citizens on board, made an extreme and dangerous dive from a cruising altitude of over 30,000 feet to about 15,000 feet at a tremendous speed that approached the speed of sound – close to 1,000 kilometres per hour.
The data from the MAX 8 aircraft's monitoring and tracking systems also present an unusually intense picture. During the cruise phase, at an altitude of approximately 35,000 feet, a sudden and vertical descent was recorded at an unimaginable dive rate that peaked at approximately 30,976 feet per minute, alongside a ground speed that exceeded 500 knots- approximately 930 kilometres per hour.
During those critical seconds, the engines and rudders were pushed into action, which meant “deliberately crashing the plane into the ground”. The report added that the second pilot recognised the attempt to commit suicide-murder, jumped on his cabin mate and began a physical struggle for control of the stick and rudders. It was then that he sent distress signals 7700 and 7500. This alerted security systems in Israel and throughout the Middle East and led to the halt of takeoffs at Ben Gurion Airport.
Immediately after stabilising the aircraft, the crew member took control of the flight, performed a U-turn and returned for an emergency landing.
A passenger on the flight, Miriam, reportedly told Channel 15 that during the flight, passengers heard shouting. When the cockpit door was opened, there was blood inside. According to her, one of the pilots was struck with a folding knife.
Channel 12 reports that the captain of the plane was a Russian citizen, while the first officer was a Ukrainian citizen. However, this has not been verified.
