After a flydubai flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed how an Israeli passenger and cabin crew members helped avoid a 9/11-like incident and saved the lives of those aboard the plane.
"I salute these heroes who demonstrated resourcefulness and extraordinary courage. They saved many lives and prevented a major disaster," said Netanyahu.
Flight FZ1073, en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was flying over Jordanian airspace on Wednesday, when the Omani co-pilot stabbed the Indian captain in the cockpit and tried to interfere with the plane's controls. The aircraft went into a dramatic descent, dropping more than 14,000 feet in less than a minute. The aircraft reportedly transmitted emergency transponder codes 7700 (general emergency) and 7500 (unlawful interference), which initially sparked fears of a hijacking.
Netanyahu said an Israeli passenger and a flight attendant managed to force their way into the cockpit to subdue the co-pilot. Another member of the flight crew then entered and helped stabilise the aircraft.
The Israeli PM, who spoke with the Israeli passenger involved, praised their quick thinking.
Zvika Manes, the passenger who helped subdue the co-pilot, recalled that his wife heard screams near the cockpit, following which he and others intervened. "I'm covered in blood. It was insane," he told Israeli financial newspaper Calcalist.
The flight was ultimately diverted and landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia. Both the captain and the co-pilot were admitted to a Saudi hospital with injuries. While the condition of the Indian captain, identified as Smit Machchhar, is not known, the co-pilot was arrested and questioned by Saudi authorities.
Saudi Arabia has turned down Israeli request to allow its military planes to bring back the stranded Israeli passengers. Flydubai said it had deployed two replacement aircraft to Tabuk to relieve them.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu has ordered Israeli authorities to "ramp up" security on Israeli and non-Israeli carriers.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the incident aboard the plane "was a jihadist terrorist attack attempt, which was thwarted only thanks to the bravery of several Israeli passengers who broke into the cockpit and overpowered the terrorist".
"According to the initial information in our possession, the terrorist had one intention: to crash the plane with all its passengers," Katz said in a statement cited by Israeli media.
