Passengers on a Flydubai flight that emergency-landed in Saudi Arabia on September 30 described an incident during which the co-pilot stabbed the captain with a knife and attempted to crash the aircraft. The passengers shared their account with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his office in Jerusalem on October 1.
According to Netanyahu’s office, the passengers tied up the pilot using a headphone cable after he had been stabbed by the co-pilot. The pilot repeatedly stated, “Kill me,” indicating that he failed the task and preferred death.
The aircraft landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, following the emergency. Passengers were subsequently transported to Tel Aviv by a rescue flight.
Andrei Litvinov, first-class pilot and commander of the Airbus A320, stated that pilots do not undergo special psychological testing before departure. He added that while regular medical examinations and psychological assessments are conducted, such checks cannot predict the compatibility between a captain and co-pilot.
