Originally published at: Pilot Stabbed During Flydubai Flight to Israel
A Flydubai flight to Israel diverted to Saudi Arabia after a reported cockpit altercation in which one pilot stabbed another.
The photo shows 737-800, not MAX
Three key issues, missing:
1.The wounded captain managed to open the cockpit door
2.Israeli passengers overpowered the culprit
3.Israeli passenger pulled the yoke and levelled the aircraft
And the airplane landed with most of its rudder missing.
“Cockpit altercation”, seriously? Like some squabble over a minor disagreement? That’s what Flydubai chose to call it, but it can’t be farther from the truth.
This was a terrorist attack, the FO stabbed the captain in order to bring a plane full of Israelis down. That’s what happened, and words count.
If you have seen the videos, the co-pilot who attacked the pilot is seen yelling “Allah Akbar” as he was being subdued.
Not making too many assumptions, but this seemed like a terror attack.
There is no “stick” in a 737. There is a yoke however.
Beware reports vary.
Passengers near front and responding say they did NOT hear “Allah Akbar” at the flight deck, 'stan1’s report may be while he was on floor aft being subdued.
(One report says subduers used ‘extension cords’ to wrap his limbs. (There usually is an F/A handset and perhaps PA mike nearby, but perhaps pax personal headsets.)
Reports indicate victim pilot was able to unlock door somehow before going unconscious, original B737 had a switch at aft end of control stand to lock/unlock door, I don’t know what there is after reinforcement of door but may be same.
“Cockpit altercation.” I didn’t expect Avweb to go so low as to run with the downplayed newswire version. If you had a lick of true aviation context, you would at least acknowledge that with the dive and weapon size what that this was more than a fight.
“Cockpit altercation” is the same ridiculous terminology the NY Times has been subjected to nonstop derision for. The Babylon Bee ran a column imagining the NYT headlines on other events, like “Japanese tourists misbehave while visiting Hawaii” for Pearl Harbor. I sure would have expected better from AvWeb. Obviously this was a foiled hijacking, terrorist attack, and attempted mass murder - not an “altercation.”
Many reports indicate that a passenger convinced two spare pilots to take over flying the airplane.
Someone had reversed the plunge for a little while before that.
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