A serious situation unfolded during a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, where a 6-year-old girl and her mother became involved in developments that helped manage the crisis on board.
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Nina Manes was traveling with her parents, Tali and Tzvika, when events inside the plane took a frightening turn.
Everything began when Nina asked her mother to accompany her to the bathroom. According to reports, at that time the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain and stabbed him, attempting to take control of the aircraft.
While near the bathroom, the girl’s mother heard unusual noises coming from the cockpit.
“The entire cabin was covered in blood and there was a very violent struggle,” she told Israeli television Channel 12.
Tali began calling for help and alerted passengers that the pilot was being attacked. At the same time, Tzvika heard his children screaming as the plane lost altitude, and he rushed toward the cockpit.
“The girls were screaming: ‘Daddy, we don’t want to die.’ Their screams pushed me to run toward the cockpit,” he said.
Several passengers intervened to stop the situation from escalating and allegedly tied the co-pilot’s hands behind his back.
A dentist who was among the passengers also provided assistance. He treated the captain after the attack, supplied him with oxygen, and used materials available on the plane to stop the bleeding.
Captain Smit Machchhar was reported out of danger and in stable condition after the incident. He was also described as one of the people who contributed to saving the plane.
The suspect, reported to be an Omani national, was arrested by Saudi authorities. Investigators are examining different theories about the reasons for the attack, while a regional official said no lead has been ruled out.
The investigation is being conducted with the participation of authorities from Saudi Arabia, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Oman.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the suspect had been involved in Islamist indoctrination. However, authorities continue to verify the circumstances and the exact motive of the event.
Asaf Rajuan, one of the passengers who took part in the intervention, said travelers felt helpless in the air but acted instinctively to survive.
The event is being treated as a serious aviation security incident. Authorities are working to reconstruct precisely what happened inside the cockpit and to determine the suspect’s motive.
