I was on the Flydubai flight that plunged 17,000 feet after the cockpit attack. I didn't realize my life was at stake.
A passenger on Flydubai Flight 1073 recounts the terrifying experience of the plane's rapid descent following a cockpit altercation between pilots. The passenger describes the confusion on board as the aircraft dropped 17,000 feet before being diverted to safety.
Why it matters
First-hand accounts provide human context to aviation emergencies, illustrating the psychological impact on passengers during critical flight incidents.
Almog Italie was a passenger on FlyDubai flight FZ1073. Courtesy of Almog Italie Almog Italie and his family were on Flydubai flight FZ1073. Italie said the plane dropped rapidly, like a "rollercoaster." "In situations like this, you have to remain calm to stay alive," he said. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Almog Italie, 52, who works in digital marketing and lives in Ness Ziona, Israel. The following has been edited for length and clarity. On September 30, my family was traveling back from a two-week holiday in Japan with Flydubai . It was a terrific vacation, but we had some bad weather, including an earthquake and a typhoon. It was a very extreme trip. Then, on our way back, our airplane dived. Our stopover was in Dubai, and we were meant to land in Tel Aviv, not too far from where we live.
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