There was an attempted hijacking yesterday of an aircraft flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv in Israel. Apparently the First Officer stabbed the Captain and it’s being reported that the First Officer was going to crash the plane deliberately. The plane was carrying, among others, 166 Israeli citizens. Some reports are claiming that the First Officer was an Omani.

Some of the Israeli passengers acted like absolute heroes and smashed their way into the cockpit and tackled the demented First Officer. An Israeli dentist gave emergency first aid to the Captain and saved his life. By sheer luck this plane also had on board two pilots,one said to be a New Zealander and the other a South African who took the controls of the plane and managed to land it safely at an airport in Saudi Arabia. It’s a complete miracle that not only was the stabber dealt with but that the pilots who stepped up were able to land the plane safely.

There is the distinct possibility bordering on complete certainty that the stabber was not a Methodist.

The Jerusalem Post said:

A flydubai commercial passenger aircraft flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to and landed in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday morning after what Israeli officials said was an attempted hijacking by one of the pilots that led to a mid-air altercation.

An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post a “major disaster was narrowly avoided” amid growing fears that one of the pilots attempted to hijack the plane with the intention of crashing it into the ground. Additional flight crew, aided by Israelis on board the flight, managed to subdue the pilot and bring him under control, the official told the Post.

A flydubai spokesperson later confirmed that its onboard crew successfully secured the aircraft following a flight deck “altercation,” noting that the “underlying reasons and motives behind this event remain unknown and are subject to a formal investigation.” The spokesperson said two replacement aircraft were sent to pick up the affected passengers and crew, and asked the public to “refrain from premature speculation while authorities gather the facts.”

The growing assessment among the Israeli security establishment, including the IDF, Mossad, and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), is that the incident was intended as an act of terror. During the altercation, the aircraft plunged about 4,000 meters (approx 12000 feet), the official noted.

Fly Dubai, the airline at the centre of this near atrocity sent a plane to pick up the Israelis to take them home but many of the passengers refused to board until the Israeli security services Mossad and the Shin Bet gave assurances that they’d security cleared the new Fly Dubai pilots.

These passengers and the cabin crew along with the injured captain are extremely lucky to be alive. Baruch Hashem for the lives saved.

Link

https://www.jpost.com/international/article-910155