MİLLİYET.COM.TR / The attack that took place on Wednesday in the cockpit of the Flydubai plane, which took off from Dubai to Tel Aviv, suddenly dragged the flight with hundreds of passengers into a critical security crisis.
After the plane lost thousands of feet of altitude and the emergency signal was sent, only one question came to mind: What would happen if the cockpit was completely taken over and hijacked?
'ATTACK ON CAPTAIN PILOT'
The normal course of the flight suddenly changed with a violent incident that started in the cockpit. According to information reported by the British press, The Guardian, there was a fight between two pilots on the Flydubai plane going from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The news stated that the plane sent emergency signals while over Jordanian airspace and that the incident briefly raised concerns about a possible hijacking attempt.
While the incident was initially considered a fight between the pilots, Israeli officials later claimed that the co-pilot attacked the captain and tried to crash the plane.
However, the reason for the attack, the motivation of the attacker and how exactly the incident started are not yet clear. The Guardian also stated that the incident was being investigated through different possibilities and that a definitive conclusion should not be drawn at an early stage.
WHAT HAPPENED IF THE COCKPIT WAS CAPTURED?
The most critical aspect of the incident was the possibility of losing control of the cockpit.
According to the British press, pilots losing control on a passenger plane does not only mean that the flight route changes. Much more serious consequences can occur, such as the aircraft losing communication with air traffic control, being diverted to a different route, and making it difficult for emergency teams to intervene.
If the attack on the Flydubai plane had not been brought under control, there was a possibility that the flight with hundreds of people could have turned into a hijacking incident.
According to The Guardian, it was reported that the plane sent both codes 7700, which means general emergency, and 7500, which can indicate possible hijacking or illegal intervention. Manual entry of these codes from the cockpit revealed why concerns about the control of the aircraft grew during the incident. For this reason, minutes and even seconds became critical in the struggle in the cockpit.
HE LOST 17 THOUSAND FEET ALTITUDE
Flight data reported by The Guardian revealed the seriousness of the incident. The plane lost approximately 16-17 thousand feet of altitude in a short time during the incident. According to the news, while the plane descended 16 thousand feet in about two minutes, emergency signals were sent and the flight route was changed and the plane headed towards Saudi Arabia. The plane was then landed safely at Tabuk Airport.
'FIGHTING SOUNDS WERE HEARD'
The stories told by the passengers on the plane revealed the extent of what happened. In an interview with Channel 12, Tzvika Manes said that while her husband and his daughters were going to the toilet at the front of the plane, he heard screams and sounds of struggle from the cockpit. According to Manes' statement, while the co-pilot was attacking the captain with a knife, the pilot fell out of the cockpit door.
'IT WAS LIKE A HORROR MOVIE'
Manes said that soon the plane began to spiral downwards towards the ground and the passengers were literally "thrown into the air". Manes, who described what happened as a "horror movie", said that at one point he thought about whether he would survive or not.
'WE CAME NOSE UP TO DEATH'
One of the passengers, Almog Itali, described what happened as a feeling like "riding on a roller coaster" and said that they came face to face with death.
HOW DID THE KNIFE GET INTO THE COCKPIT?
Now the focus of the investigation is much more concrete questions. How did the knife used by the attacker get onto the plane? How were security checks at Dubai Airport bypassed? How was access to the cockpit gained? When was it realized to what extent the attack had compromised control of the aircraft?
In the latest developments reported by The Guardian, it was stated that the investigation focused especially on cockpit access procedures and security processes of the flight crew. The questions to be answered are not limited to these. It is also being investigated whether the attacker acted alone, whether he was affiliated with any person or organization, and whether the incident was planned in advance.
WHY IS THE HIJAB SCENARIO CRITICAL?
If an attacker takes over the cockpit, control of the flight depends on the response capacity of not only the pilots on the plane but also the air traffic control units on the ground.
If the plane's route is changed or communication is interrupted, the crisis can turn into a much broader security operation.
In the case of the Flydubai plane, it was decisive that the incident was brought under control before it reached this stage.
THREE POSSIBILITIES ARE ON THE TABLE
According to The Guardian, one of the most critical topics for the investigation is the motivation behind the attack.
The first possibility is the scenario of an individual attacker with no connection to any organization or state. The second possibility is that the attack was planned by an organized structure. The third possibility is that there is a state connection.
However, there is currently no confirmed evidence to show that the attack was carried out by any state or organization.
Finally, it was emphasized in the news that the investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing and that a definitive conclusion has not yet been reached regarding the nature of the attack.
