The dramatic incident aboard a flydubai flight on Wednesday morning sent shockwaves through Israel, after an altercation between the aircraft’s pilots reportedly brought the plane dangerously close to crashing.

Israeli passengers, together with members of the crew, intervened during the chaos and apparently helped prevent a catastrophe.

Among those aboard was former Israeli footballer Oren Ido, who spoke to The Sport Channel’s Five in the Air Show about the terrifying moments in the air, the passengers’ desperate efforts to regain control of the situation and their plans to return to Israel.

“A Hollywood script could probably capture what happened here,” Ido said. “At one point, the plane started moving and swaying from wing to wing, which caused the tail section to break. The co-pilot stabbed the pilot and wanted to crash the plane.”

“We felt that something was wrong,” he continued. “I was sitting in the last row and had no idea what was going on. After a few moments, two flight attendants at the back shouted that they needed help. I was sitting by the window, and then a man sitting in the aisle jumped up first. The second flight attendant pushed me, and I thought he was a terrorist, but it was just a misunderstanding. We felt like this was the end. The plane was diving down, moving from side to side like a leaf, and you think you’re going to die.”

Ido described how the passengers eventually managed to reach the cockpit, “The pilot managed to say a few things over the PA before opening the door and collapsing there. The man who broke into the cockpit saw the Omani co-pilot controlling all the aircraft’s systems and trying to crash the plane. Fortunately, there were two European pilots who were supposed to fly the plane back. They took control of the aircraft and managed to land us safely.”

The former footballer said the experience was unlike anything he had ever experienced, “When the plane is diving, it’s like free-falling. A phone from the front row actually reached me. Everyone was reciting the ‘Shema Yisrael’ and screaming in fear. By a miracle, we’re alive. My entire family was on the plane. I had my three- and five-year-old children with me, while my 10- and 12-year-olds have been vomiting and are still affected by what happened.”

The passengers are currently in Saudi Arabia, where Ido said they have received extensive assistance while awaiting arrangements to return home, “The hospitality has been exceptional,” he said. “They put us in a private room and bring us coffee, cakes and hot food. The treatment has been incredible, including the medical staff, who are going from passenger to passenger and treating them.”

“There are two Israelis here who fought with the Omani [co-pilot]. One suffered a head injury and the other cut his hand. I also have some bruises, but that doesn’t matter when you’re going through something this insane. I don’t know how we’re going to get on a plane back to Israel. They told us we’ll be flown back on a plane from Dubai, and I don’t know how many people will be willing to get on it.”

Ido is a former Israeli footballer who played in the National League and Liga Alef during the 2010s. The final club of his career was Maccabi Dalyat al-Karmel, while he previously played in the second tier for Maccabi Bat Yam, Hapoel Afula and Hapoel Nof HaGalil.