Passengers aboard flydubai Flight 1073 experienced a harrowing ordeal when the aircraft’s copilot launched an attack mid-flight, threatening the safety of the 182 individuals on board. The incident occurred on a flight that was diverted to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia after a dramatic struggle in the cockpit.

According to passenger accounts, the Omani copilot, Hamam al-Hammami, attacked the pilot, Capt. Smit Machchar, with a cockpit axe and attempted to crash the plane into the Arabian Desert. Passengers described the situation as a prolonged period of terror. A group of Israeli passengers reportedly intervened, subduing al-Hammami and helping stabilize the aircraft before a potential crash could occur.

Despite regaining control, the atmosphere on board remained tense. Uri Pintov, a passenger traveling with his wife and three children after a family vacation in Thailand, said that even after the pilot was restrained and the rescue crew took over, passengers were uncertain about their destination and intentions. Pintov expressed that many aboard feared the copilot might have intended to hijack the plane to another location, mentioning Iran, Yemen, and even Ben-Gurion Airport in Israel as possible targets. He described feeling captive for approximately an hour and a half, during which passengers distrusted both the original and rescue crews.

Passengers reportedly took measures into their own hands, separating the crew members and placing them in separate areas of the aircraft to maintain control until landing. The flight ultimately concluded safely with a landing at Tabuk Airport, about six hours’ drive from Jerusalem, contingent on open border crossings.

The exact motives behind al-Hammami’s actions remain unclear. Authorities are investigating the incident to establish a comprehensive understanding of the events leading up to the attack and the subsequent hijacking attempt. Meanwhile, those on board continue to process the extraordinary circumstances they faced, underscoring the vulnerability and unpredictability of in-flight security breaches.