Aviation security back in spotlight after nightmare on flydubai flight to Israel
Questions raised over cockpit locks and screening of pilots as UAE investigates details and motives of near disaster At around 9.30 on Wednesday morning local time, Tali Manes was taking her six-year-old daughter Nina to the toilet on the regular flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv when she heard a series of heavy blows against the cockpit door. Manes, an Israeli bank executive, immediately…
A harrowing incident occurred on a flydubai flight to Israel when a co-pilot attacked the Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, leading to a near-disaster. The attack took place during the flight FZ 1073, which was en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Six-year-old Tali Manes, an Israeli bank executive, witnessed the cockpit door being opened and heard heavy blows.
She promptly informed a flight attendant, who ignored her pleas for help. As the plane plummeted 16,000 feet in just a minute, passengers screamed and tried to reassure children. Fortunately, a group of passengers managed to overpower the attacker, and two off-duty pilots took control of the aircraft. Machchhar, who was badly injured, managed to unlock the cockpit door and send an alarm to air traffic control.
The identity of the attacker remains unknown, but Israeli officials claim he was an Omani national who had joined flydubai recently and was exposed to Islamist radical indoctrination. Experts believe the attack was likely motivated by terrorism, possibly linked to al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The incident has raised concerns over aviation security, particularly the effectiveness of cockpit door locks and pilot screening.
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Also reported by 2 other outlets
- Israel to question co-pilot of flydubai flight economictimes.indiatimes.com
- UAE source criticizes Israel's use of 'rescue flights' after flydubai incident jpost.com
