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Passenger claims Israeli flight plunged like a rollercoaster after sudden drop

Passenger recounts plummeting Israel flight after pilot stabbed co-pilot; plane fell 17,000 feet in two minutes.

By mitch·4 min read
A commercial airliner descends rapidly through stormy clouds in a dramatic scene.

A passenger on board Flight FZ1073 said the plane felt like a rollercoaster after it fell 17,000 feet in less than two minutes when a pilot apparently stabbed his co-pilot. The aircraft had been flying to Israel when the incident took place, and Almog Itali told the BBC about his experience.

The plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia after several passengers said they took control of the flight and two other pilots at the rear of the plane reportedly came forward to land the plane.

The aircraft lost 17,000 feet in under two minutes. Itali described the fall as feeling like a “rollercoaster.” The pilot who was stabbed apparently attacked his co-pilot during the flight. The plane was en route to Israel when the incident occurred.

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Several passengers said they took control of the flight. Two other pilots at the rear of the plane reportedly came forward to land the plane. The diversion to Saudi Arabia followed the takeover by passengers and the intervention of the rear pilots.

The sequence of events is not fully detailed in the report. What is known:

  1. A pilot apparently stabbed his co-pilot.
  2. The plane began to fall.
  3. Passengers took control of the flight.
  4. Two rear pilots came forward to land the plane.
  5. The plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia.

The timeline is short. The aircraft fell 17,000 feet in under two minutes.

Two other pilots at the rear of the plane reportedly came forward to land the plane. Their exact roles were not specified in the report. The involvement of rear pilots adds a layer of human response. Instead of relying solely on the remaining cockpit crew, passengers and rear pilots acted to bring the plane down.

The plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia after the incident. The report does not specify why Saudi Arabia was chosen as the diversion point. The diversion itself appears to have been completed. No further details about the landing or the condition of the passengers were provided in the report.

Itali spoke to the BBC about his experience. His account is the basis for the report. The report also cites passengers who said they took control of the flight. Their accounts support the broader narrative of the incident.

The pilot who was stabbed apparently attacked his co-pilot during the flight. The report does not describe the attack in detail. The stabbing is the trigger for the entire sequence of events.

The plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia. The passengers who took control of the flight and the rear pilots who came forward to land the plane were part of the response. The report does not describe what happened to the passengers after the landing. It does not describe what happened to the pilots involved in the stabbing.

The report is based on a single passenger’s account and a brief summary of events. It does not provide independent confirmation of the details.

What is known:

  • A pilot apparently stabbed his co-pilot.
  • The plane fell 17,000 feet in under two minutes.
  • Several passengers took control of the flight.
  • Two rear pilots came forward to land the plane.
  • The plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia.

What is not known:

  • The exact timing of the stabbing.
  • The identity of the pilots involved.
  • The condition of the passengers after the landing.
  • Whether anyone was injured during the incident.

This is a frightening account of ordinary people becoming de facto crew under dire circumstances. The passengers on Flight FZ1073 were not trained pilots, yet they stepped into a role that required quick thinking and coordination. The involvement of rear pilots adds another layer of human response. Rather than waiting for instructions, passengers and rear pilots acted to land the plane.

The report is a reminder of how quickly a routine flight can become a crisis. It also shows how people respond when faced with a situation that requires immediate action.

Detail Information
Aircraft Flight FZ1073
Altitude loss 17,000 feet (5,200 meters)
Time to fall Less than two minutes
Incident location In-flight
Diversion destination Saudi Arabia

The passengers on Flight FZ1073 faced a terrifying situation. They responded with courage and quick thinking. The incident highlights the fragility of air travel and the importance of trained crews. Pilots undergo rigorous training to handle emergencies, and the fact that passengers had to step in is a rare and troubling development. The report does not end with a resolution. It ends with a diversion to Saudi Arabia and a plane brought down by people who were not supposed to be doing the job.

For those passengers, the ordeal is likely far from over. For everyone else, it stands as a reminder of how quickly a routine journey can become a nightmare.

Source material: “Plummeting Israel flight dropped like a rollercoaster, says passenger,” the BBC.

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