Steven Crowder - The Hijacking the Media Called an "Altercation"

The recent Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv ended with an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a violent incident in the cockpit. Flight FZ1073 was carrying 174 passengers and eight crew when the aircraft experienced a sudden and dramatic loss of altitude. Saudi authorities have since stated that the captain was assaulted by his co-pilot, while Israeli officials have said the co-pilot stabbed the captain and apparently attempted to take control of the aircraft. Passengers and crew intervened, the aircraft was secured and it was diverted safely to Tabuk. The exact motive and circumstances remain under investigation, with authorities examining whether the incident involved prior planning or any terrorist purpose.

What has also attracted criticism is the language initially used to describe what happened. Flydubai itself referred to an "altercation" in the flight deck, a description subsequently repeated by numerous media outlets. That word can make a violent attack inside the cockpit sound like little more than a disagreement between two colleagues. Once reports emerged that the captain had allegedly been stabbed, the aircraft had plunged thousands of feet and the co-pilot was suspected of trying to take control, describing the incident simply as an "altercation" appeared to understate the seriousness of what passengers had experienced. At the same time, the investigation is still establishing exactly what happened, so the distinction between confirmed facts and allegations remains important.