周三发生的这起空中劫机事件发生在从迪拜飞往特拉维夫的Flydubai航班上。在劫机事件中，飞机突然从17,000英尺的高度急剧下降，导致飞机的方向舵几乎完全损坏；然而，这架波音737 MAX飞机最终还是成功降落在沙特阿拉伯的苏丹·本·阿卜杜勒-阿齐兹王子机场，令航空专家们感到震惊。
The flydubai Dubai-Tel Aviv flight involved in Wednesday’s mid-air cockpit attack survived a 17,000-foot plunge that ripped off most of the plane’s rudder, leaving aviation experts stunned by how the Boeing 737 MAX landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
FZ1073航班在飞行高度约为34,000英尺时突然开始急剧下降，仅用两分多钟就降到了16,600英尺的高度。此次坠机事件的发生是因为担任机长的飞行员史密斯·马奇哈尔（Smit Machchhar）在驾驶舱内与他的阿曼籍副驾驶发生冲突时被刺伤。飞机在紧急情况下发出了求救信号，随后改道降落在沙特阿拉伯的苏丹·本·阿卜杜勒-阿齐兹王子机场。
Flight FZ1073 was flying at around 34,000 feet when it suddenly began a steep descent, dropping to around 16,600 feet in just over two minutes. The plunge came after pilot Smit Machchhar, who was captaining the flight, was stabbed by his Omani co-pilot during a confrontation inside the cockpit. The aircraft transmitted emergency signals before diverting to Prince Sultan Bin Abdel Aziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
前联合航空公司飞行员兼航空安全专家史蒂夫·阿罗约（Steve Arroyo）表示，他对飞机在如此剧烈的下降后仍能安全降落感到非常惊讶：“那是一次极其危险的下降过程，方向舵所承受的空气动力冲击非常大；我简直不敢相信飞机竟然没有解体。”
Former United Airlines pilot and aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said he was surprised the aircraft managed to land safely after the steep descent. “That was a serious descent and strong aerodynamic forces on that rudder for that to happen. I’m just amazed the aircraft didn’t come apart,” Arroyo told news agency The Associated Press.
值得注意的是，这起事件发生之际，波音公司的飞机安全性和可靠性正面临全球范围内的重新审查。航空安全专家杰夫·古泽蒂（Jeff Guzzetti）曾是美国国家运输安全委员会和联邦航空管理局的坠机事故调查员，他认为如果飞机的高度进一步降至10,000英尺以下，很可能就无法恢复正常飞行状态。古泽蒂对媒体表示：“他们能够成功摆脱这种危险状态实在令人惊叹——因为他们当时还拥有足够的飞行高度来恢复控制。”
Significantly, the flydubai incident comes at a time when Boeing is under renewed global scrutiny over aircraft safety and reliability. Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti, a former crash investigator with the US National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration, said the aircraft might not have been able to recover if it had dropped below 10,000 feet.“It is remarkable they were able to pull out of that dive. What saved them is there was enough altitude left for them to recover,” Guzzetti told AP.WHAT HAPPENED ON THE FLYDUBAI FLIGHT?
Flydubai航班上究竟发生了什么？这架Flydubai航班正在从迪拜飞往特拉维夫的过程中，机长马奇哈尔在驾驶舱内被他的阿曼籍副驾驶刺伤。
The flydubai flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when Machchhar was stabbed by his Omani co-pilot inside the cockpit.
此次袭击的原因尚不清楚，以色列方面正在对此进行调查，并将这起事件定性为“恐怖袭击”。飞机在遭到袭击时发出了紧急求救信号；这些信号很可能是由副驾驶马奇哈尔（Machchhar）触发的。在短短两分钟内，飞机的飞行高度从34,000英尺骤降至16,600英尺（下降了约17,400英尺）。马奇哈尔在冲突中受伤，但他仍设法发出了警报并打开了驾驶舱门，使得乘客和一名机组人员得以制服副驾驶。
The cause of the attack was not known and is being investigated by Israel, which is treating the incident as a "terror attack".The aircraft transmitted emergency signals, possibly triggered by Machchhar during the attack, before plunging about 17,400 feet from 34,000 feet to around 16,600 feet in just over two minutes. Machchhar was injured during the confrontation but managed to raise the alarm and opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers and a crew member later to overpower the co-pilot.
在174名乘客中，有一名没有飞行经验的管道工接管了飞机的控制权，最终飞机安全降落在沙特阿拉伯。
A plumber who was among the 174 passengers, had no flying experience, and took control of the plane before it landed safely in Saudi Arabia.A passenger told The Associated Press that the aircraft suddenly began dropping for around 20 to 30 seconds, describing the experience as “massive turbulence” and a strong G-force.
一名乘客告诉美联社：“飞机突然开始急速下降，持续了大约20到30秒，那种情况简直就是‘巨大的湍流’，G力也非常强烈。”马奇哈尔曾是一名SpiceJet的飞行员，因在面对副驾驶的刺击攻击时表现出极大的勇气和冷静，拯救了乘客的生命而受到全球范围内的赞誉。他拥有15年的飞行经验。事件发生后，马奇哈尔接受了手术，目前情况稳定。沙特当局已经逮捕了那名副驾驶。
Machchhar, a former SpiceJet pilot, is earning accolades globally for displaying bravery and courage to save lives of passengers while fending off the stabbing attack from the co-pilot. He has an experience of 15 years. Machchhar underwent surgery after the incident and was reported to be stable. Saudi authorities arrested the co-pilot.
与此同时，Flydubai航空公司暂时暂停了飞往以色列的航班，直到对该事件的调查结束。
Meanwhile, Flydubai has temporarily suspended flights to Israel while the investigation into the incident continues.- Ends