UAE probes possible ‘terror’ link in attack on Flydubai flight to Israel that forced Saudi landing | What we know

A Flydubai passenger recounted the harrowing experience of his plane plummeting nearly 17,000 feet in less than two minutes during a mid-flight attack. Adam Polovincik, a performance marketing analyst, described how he huddled with his two young children, a six-year-old son and three-year-old daughter, as the aircraft descended.

The sudden drop left passengers and crew in a state of panic, with screams of "blood, stabbing, we need help" echoing through the cabin. After approximately 10 to 15 minutes of chaos, a passenger in the cockpit informed the passengers that the incident was under control, and other staff members took over the plane's operations. Pilots who were already on board then regained control, safely landing the aircraft, which was en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

The stabbed pilot is currently in stable condition, while the alleged attacker has been apprehended. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned that it was premature to determine whether Iran was involved in the attack, but stated that the suspect had been radicalized with Islamist beliefs. Polovincik and his family were flying home after a trip to Singapore and Thailand, and the sudden panic on the plane was exacerbated by the presence of numerous families with children, as the flight coincided with the end of a Jewish holiday.

After the incident was brought under control, the flight was diverted to Saudi Arabia, where passengers were provided with water, food, and even sweets for the children, despite the lack of diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.