Passengers recount terrifying mid-air plunge on flydubai flight

Flight FZ 1073, operated by flydubai between Dubai and Tel Aviv, saw a frightening moment on Wednesday when the aircraft suddenly began losing altitude rapidly as it neared the Jordanian border. Passengers said the drop felt abrupt and unexplained, creating a jarring physical sensation inside the cabin.

Passenger accounts

Speaking to AFP, passenger Almog Italie said the sensation resembled very strong turbulence, even though there was no actual turbulence at the time. He likened the experience to riding a rollercoaster, describing how the plane lost thousands of feet of altitude within just seconds.

Such a rapid altitude drop is unusual and can cause significant distress among passengers, even when the aircraft ultimately continues its flight safely. The fact that multiple passengers spoke about the incident suggests the event was notably intense for those on board.

Reporting on the incident

The episode was reported by FRANCE 24 correspondent August Hakansson, who gathered passenger testimony about what occurred during the flight. No further official explanation has yet been provided by flydubai regarding the cause of the sudden descent or the flight's subsequent course.