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A pilot was arrested after allegedly stabbing his colleague aboard a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv and apparently attempting to crash the aircraft, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
Passengers and crew overpowered the attacker and helped regain control of the “Flydubai” aircraft, which landed safely at Tabuk airport in northeastern Saudi Arabia with more than 170 people on board, according to Reuters.
The passengers, most of them Israeli, later arrived in Tel Aviv on a repatriation flight. The aircraft’s stabbed pilot, Indian national Captain Smit Machchhar, was taken to hospital and was in stable condition, India’s embassy in Saudi Arabia said.
Netanyahu described Machchhar as a “true hero” who showed “extraordinary bravery”. In a post on “X”, he said the pilot fought back despite being seriously injured, opened the cockpit door and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker.
“He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals,” Netanyahu wrote.
Flight diverted after emergency signals
Flight FZ1073 departed “Dubai International Airport” at 03:05 GMT, bound for “Ben-Gurion Airport” in Israel. About two and a half hours later, flight-tracking data showed the plane descending more than 17,000 feet in less than two minutes over Saudi Arabia.
The aircraft initially transmitted the emergency code squawk 7700 before switching to squawk 7500, which indicates a hijacking. About 20 minutes later, it turned back towards Saudi Arabia and began a manual descent into Tabuk.
Israeli and Saudi air forces dispatched fighter jets shortly after the incident, while Netanyahu held urgent consultations. Initial reports suggested a fight had broken out between the two pilots.
Later accounts, including statements from Netanyahu and eyewitnesses, indicated that one pilot had stabbed the other. Netanyahu said an Israeli passenger told him the aircraft began spinning and descending before the passenger and a crew member entered the cockpit and restrained the pilot who had carried out the stabbing.
“Flydubai” said an altercation had occurred in the flight deck and that on-duty crew travelling aboard the aircraft secured the flight, diverted it and landed safely at Tabuk airport.
Passengers describe struggle in cockpit
Passenger Yaniv Hayun told Netanyahu that the stabbed pilot was near the cockpit door and managed to open it before collapsing. Hayun said he placed the attacker in a chokehold while other passengers helped restrain him.
He added that he pulled the aircraft’s controls until it levelled out, after which another pilot took over. Another passenger, Zvika Meness, told Israeli public broadcaster Kan News that passengers tied the attacker using his own zip ties and multimedia headphones.
Netanyahu called the incident “a very serious security incident” and said Israeli security forces were in close contact with relevant authorities to ensure the passengers’ safety. Defence Minister Israel Katz described it as an “attempted jihadist terror attack”, although no official motive has been announced.
The passengers arrived in Tel Aviv at about 18:40 local time. Crowds welcomed them with music, singing, dancing and Israeli flags. An Israeli ambulance service paramedic said some passengers were visibly emotional and crying as they left the aircraft.
