Passengers on a Flydubai flight whose co-pilot attacked the captain in the cockpit have questioned the actions of some of the crew after flight attendants demanded the attacker be untied. The plane was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv but made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on September 30.
According to two passengers who spoke to The New York Post, some cabin crew members insisted that the co-pilot be released after three passengers restrained and tied him up. “They asked us to untie the terrorist — "We didn't understand why," said Zvika Manes, one of the passengers who intervened in the attack.
Manes, Yaniv Hayun and Assaf Rajwan managed to restrain the co-pilot, initially using plastic zip ties and then headphone cables collected by other passengers. According to Manes, the crew members told them: "You are not God, you cannot kill him."
The stewards' behavior aroused suspicion among some passengers. They insisted that the crew move away from the cockpit and move to the fifth or sixth row. "We told them: 'We are in command now and you will do as we say,'" said Manes. Later, according to passenger Daniel Schlichter, the crew members began to help, handing out water and blankets. There is no evidence that the crew was accused of complicity with the co-pilot.
The plane changed course to Saudi Arabia
The incident occurred on board Flydubai's Boeing 737, operating flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. After reporting emergency codes, the plane changed course and landed in Tabuk. Flight tracking data showed a sharp descent from about 10,000 to 4,500 meters in approximately one minute.
The number of people on board has been indicated differently in individual reports, Flydubai later reported a total of 172 passengers and crew members. The airline said everyone was safe, and the captain received medical attention and returned to the UAE.
UAE Public Prosecutor's Office Investigates Attempted Terrorist Act
On October 3, UAE Public Prosecutor General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said that the investigation had established an attempt by the co-pilot to commit a terrorist act. He said the attacker used a crash axe against the commander and attempted to take control of the plane.
Investigators are still investigating the motive, possible connections and the presence of pre-planning. Physical and digital evidence is being examined, and the final results will be announced once the procedures are completed.
The Associated Press identified the suspected attacker as 29-year-old Omani national Hamam al-Hamami. The agency said he was removed from flights at his previous job over concerns about his radical views. How he was subsequently hired by Flydubai and allowed to fly is also under investigation.
Sources: RBC