New information has emerged regarding a chaotic incident on a flight bound for Tel Aviv, where a pilot allegedly attempted suicide, putting all onboard at risk. Eyewitness accounts suggest that the incident could have been an attack.
Reports indicate that a distress signal was sent from the aircraft following a violent altercation between the captain and the co-pilot. During this struggle, one pilot sustained a knife wound. Contrary to earlier claims that identified one pilot as Ukrainian and the other as Russian, a senior military source has stated that the pilot believed to have tried to crash the plane may have been of Omani origin. The investigation is ongoing, with officials seeking to determine whether psychological or nationalist motivations were involved.
According to “BILD на русском,” the first pilot was identified as a Russian national who reportedly attempted to take his own life using a knife. The second pilot, who is believed to be Ukrainian, intervened and potentially prevented a disaster. However, this version of events has yet to be confirmed.
“9 канал Израиль” released initial footage from onboard the aircraft, showing a bloodied man identified as an Israeli passenger who reportedly fought with the pilot during the incident. Preliminary reports suggest that the pilot wounded his colleague and seized control of the aircraft, attempting to send it into a tailspin, descending sharply by 4,200 meters in just a minute, as indicated by instrument readings.
Across various media outlets, it has been reported that the flight experienced a sudden loss of altitude before landing in Saudi Arabia. Eyewitness accounts regarding the altercation between the pilots vary significantly, revealing a lack of consensus on the details.
As of now, none of the conflicting statements have been officially verified.
Context
- On September 30, a passenger flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv issued distress signals while turning over Saudi Arabia, followed by reports of hijacking or unlawful interference. The aircraft later vanished from radar. Israeli Air Force jets were dispatched to intercept the plane, which carried 174 passengers, including 27 children. It was later determined that the alerts stemmed from a fight onboard, and the plane landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
- Israeli “12 канал” reported that the pilots were involved in a physical altercation, with one sustaining a knife injury. Witnesses indicated that the pilots were of Ukrainian and Russian descent.
