Netanyahu praises passengers' courage in thwarting potential air disaster

Netanyahu said, in an interview with Fox News, that the passengers' behavior prevented a major disaster. He pointed out that the Israeli passenger, Yaniv Shayon, a plumber who was traveling with his family, rushed towards the cockpit after the plane began a sharp decline, and was able to push the attacker away from the controls and help regain control of the plane.

He added that the Indian pilot, Smit Machar, who was seriously injured after being stabbed by his co-pilot, was able to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to enter and control the attacker. A second group of Flydubai pilots who were on board the plane were able to take command and land it in the Saudi city of Tabuk.

Flight FZ 1073 was carrying 174 people, most of them Israelis, when it plunged about 4,267 meters in less than 30 seconds, according to Israeli officials. Netanyahu said that the accident could have led to a disaster that “could have become global,” noting that the courage of the passengers and crew prevented a repeat of the September 11 attacks.

The Israeli Prime Minister indicated that the attacker, who was identified by an Israeli official as an Omani citizen, was arrested after the plane landed, and is under investigation in Saudi Arabia. He said it was too early to determine whether Iran was involved in the incident, adding that investigators would check for possible Iranian accomplices or connections.

Flydubai announced that the circumstances of the accident are still unclear, warning against early speculation. The Indian embassy in Riyadh also reported that the condition of the plane’s pilot, Machar, is stable, and that he is receiving treatment in a hospital in the city of Tabuk.

The passengers later arrived in Israel on an alternative plane, while the Israeli authorities said they would strengthen security screening procedures for pilots and airlines flying to the country.