Flydubai Survivors Struggle With Trauma and Lack of State Support
Passengers and children aboard a harrowing Flydubai flight are grappling with severe trauma, nightmares, and panic attacks, as families criticize the lack of coordinated state psychological support and centralized care.
An 11-year-old boy, identified pseudonymously as Nir, returned to school on Sunday following a harrowing ordeal aboard a Flydubai flight, yet at night, he remains trapped inside the aircraft. According to his father, who spoke to mako health, Nir repeatedly wakes up from nightmares in which he falls from the plane or burns. He refuses to sleep alone, has moved into his parents' bed, and constantly seeks physical touch. His father expressed profound distress, noting that he breaks down in tears simply watching his son.
Psychological Aftermath and the Struggle for Support
Nir has experienced episodes of breathlessness and choking sensations, including a severe panic attack while playing on his phone at home. When the family contacted a support hotline, they were given breathing exercises over the phone, but no follow-up support was provided. Families affected by the incident report a critical lack of coordinated professional outreach. While Education Minister Yoav Kisch contacted Nir directly and schools have attempted to assist, parents emphasize that no systematic therapeutic framework or proactive case management has been established by health or welfare authorities.
Another passenger, Oren, recounted similar trauma experienced by his 11 and 12-year-old daughters. Since returning home, the children refuse to sleep alone, moving mattresses into their father's room while waking up constantly throughout the night. One of the daughters suffered from persistent vomiting from the moment of landing in Saudi Arabia until recently. Oren noted that while emergency hotlines provided initial coping exercises, the families are left navigating a fragmented system without a centralized agency to coordinate psychological care or clarify legal rights regarding potential recognition as victims of hostilities.
Coping Mechanisms and Professional Guidance
Not all families experienced immediate acute symptoms. Almog, who was on the flight with his wife and two daughters, noted that open communication has helped his family process the event, as his wife specializes in trauma therapy. However, he highlighted widespread confusion among passenger support groups regarding where to seek professional help, whether treatments are subsidized, and how to access long-term psychological care. Survivors are calling for a dedicated emergency authority to oversee psychological rehabilitation rather than relying on short-term volunteer hotlines.
Dr. Leon Nemetz, head of mental health for the southern district at Maccabi Healthcare Services, explained that nightmares, separation anxiety, and clinging to parents are logical responses to life-threatening situations, though they do not necessarily indicate post-traumatic stress disorder. He emphasized the importance of validating children's fears, providing a secure presence, and avoiding forced retellings of the event. Professional intervention is strongly recommended if sleep, eating, or daily functioning are severely disrupted, and families do not need to wait for a formal diagnosis to seek help.
"When we try to make sense of it, I tell people: you cannot even begin to imagine what we went through," said Oren, reflecting the sentiment of many survivors seeking a centralized point of contact and guaranteed state support.
In response, the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs stated that it is awaiting passenger lists from relevant authorities to initiate proactive outreach through municipal social services, reminding the public that hotline 118 remains operational 24/7. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense clarified that determinations regarding recognition as victims of hostilities will be made in coordination with the National Insurance Institute once investigative findings are finalized.
