Plane Landing Was "Nothing Short of a Miracle," CNN Analyst Says
Passengers and crew overpowered the attacker after the cockpit stabbing, and flight-tracking data showed the aircraft dropped about 14,300 feet in 37 seconds.
- On Wednesday, Flydubai flight FZ1073 diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar in the cockpit. The aircraft carrying 174 people landed safely after crew and passengers subdued the attacker.
- During the altercation, the Boeing 737 dropped about 14,300 feet in roughly 37 seconds as the aircraft descended rapidly. Despite being stabbed, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, enabling crew and passengers to overpower the attacker.
- The aircraft transmitted squawk 7500, the international code signaling unlawful interference. CNN national security analyst Alex Plitsas called the crew's response "nothing short of a miracle," noting passengers and off-duty pilots helped stabilize the jet.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Machchhar's "extraordinary bravery," while the Indian Embassy in Riyadh confirmed the captain remains in stable condition. Saudi authorities took the Omani co-pilot into custody for questioning.
- The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority is investigating the incident, which Plitsas noted raises difficult questions about threats originating within the cockpit. Most post-9/11 security measures focused on preventing outsiders from accessing the flight deck.
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"The cockpit is small, the pilots sit next to each other, and the distance between their shoulders is about 1 meter. (...) The fight took place in such a small space. So it is natural that during the fight various buttons could have been pressed and the joystick pushed," says aviation expert Martynas Jaugelavicius.
New Video Of Alleged Cockpit Attack Inside FlyDubai Flight To Israel
As the aircraft plummeted in altitude, quick-thinking passengers and crew wrestled the attacker to the ground, secured the flight deck, and ultimately forced an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, averting a catastrophic disaster.
Flydubai Flight FZ1073 descended approximately 14,125 feet in just 30 seconds. New data analysis from Flightradar24 has revealed the full picture of the incident. However, the reason for the plane's rapid descent will only be clear after an investigation.
Plane landing was "nothing short of a miracle," CNN analyst says
The emergency landing of a Flydubai flight was “nothing short of a miracle,” CNN national security analyst Alex Plitsas said, describing a series of actions by the crew and passengers that helped avert disaster. “They had to get everything right to basically make sure everybody survived,” Plitsas told CNN. “And somehow they figured it out …
Due to the battle in the cockpit of the Flydubai aircraft, the aircraft sank from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in a minute. It was a miracle that the aircraft did not break apart when stabilized, says aviation expert Heinrich Großbongardt.
Flight-tracking data show Boeing 737 MAX dropping more than 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds before transmitting emergency and unlawful-interference codes
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