On September 30, on a flydubai flight from Dubai, UAE to Tel Aviv, Israel, more than 170 passengers experienced a terrifying moment: the aircraft's cruising altitude suddenly dropped from 10,000 meters to 5,100 meters in about one minute; Israel, fearing a hijacking, scrambled fighter jets; passengers and crew rushed into the cockpit and subdued the co-pilot who had stabbed the captain, allowing the two pilots originally scheduled to operate the next flight to regain control of the plane; one hour later, the aircraft landed at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, with tail damage but no injuries to passengers.

Currently, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Israel are all investigating the incident. The co-pilot is Omani, and aside from that, his identity and motive for the crime have not been disclosed. Moreover, Israel and Saudi Arabia do not have diplomatic relations, which adds potential difficulties to the joint investigation.

Launch an investigation

On September 30, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu issued a video statement saying that a pilot on the flight injured another pilot with a knife and then attempted to crash the plane, but was subdued by passengers and crew members.

Footage released by Israeli media shows that on September 30, on a passenger plane flying from Dubai, UAE to Tel Aviv, Israel, a passenger had blood stains on their body.

In the latest statement from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Israeli passenger Asaf Razuan and others described the process of subduing the co-pilot. A passenger providing first aid to the captain, dentist Shota Musayev, captured a video inside the cabin showing the co-pilot kneeling on the ground with his hands tied behind his back.

The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia stated on the evening of September 30 that the Indian pilot Smit Machchel is currently in stable condition. A statement from Tabuk Airport said that both pilots were injured. At present, the condition of the co-pilot's injuries is unclear.

The governments of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have confirmed that they are investigating the incident.

According to a report by the Emirates News Agency on October 1, the Attorney General of the UAE, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, has ordered the formation of an investigative team, which has begun coordinating with the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority and relevant departments. Al Shamsi said that the facts and motives will be clarified, and it will be verified whether the incident involves terrorism and whether it was premeditated.

Netanyahu said that he spoke with UAE President Mohamed, who agreed to Israel's participation in the interrogation of the co-pilot.

Full of doubts

The timing of this event is particularly special. October 7 marks the third anniversary of the outbreak of the new round of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At the same time, Israel is about to hold parliamentary elections at the end of October. In addition, Netanyahu visited the UAE on September 27, and the two countries confirmed this visit on the 28th. On the 29th, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a warning to the UAE and other countries in the Middle East, urging the relevant countries not to allow their territories to be used to carry out activities that undermine the stability of other countries in the region.

On September 30, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu held a situation assessment meeting with security officials. Xinhua News Agency (photo provided by the Israeli Prime Minister's spokesperson team)

When asked if there were any signs that Iran was involved in the incident, Netanyahu told Fox News in the United States: 'It is too early to draw conclusions.' He also told CNN in the United States that Israel did not receive a specific warning in advance about the occurrence of this incident.

U.S. President Trump told reporters at the White House that he and Netanyahu 'discussed this incident in detail' over the phone, and it seems the co-pilot 'could be a terrorist, or could be a madman.'

One of the doubts surrounding this incident is what kind of object the co-pilot used to stab the captain. According to regulations, pilots undergo strict security checks with instruments such as metal detectors at airports, but it is currently unclear whether the involved Dubai Airlines pilot underwent such strict checks.

Aviation Miracle

Aviation experts say the plane descended so sharply that the rudder detached heavily from the tail, yet it managed to land safely—a true miracle.

On September 30, the Dubai Airlines replacement flight carrying passengers from the involved flight was about to land at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel

According to the flight tracking website 'Flightradar24,' this aircraft is a Boeing 737 Max 8. The principal of the New Zealand flight school where Captain Marchchell trained, Philip Keane, told the media that it is 'incredible' that this aircraft model did not break apart after a steep dive and ultimately landed safely.

"The '24-Hour Flight Radar Website' shows that the passenger plane experienced a sharp descent two and a half hours after takeoff, after which it made an unstable maneuver near the Jordanian border, and about an hour later landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia."

The Associated Press, citing anonymous sources who overheard communications between the plane and air traffic control centers, reported that during the search for a landing site, air traffic controllers in Saudi Arabia and Jordan both refused the aircraft permission to land, but did not provide reasons for the refusal. Fortunately, the plane was eventually able to land within Saudi Arabia.

Duty Director: Guo Junyu