FlyDubai Flight Horror: Stabbed Indian Captain, Passengers Foil Suspected Crash Attempt

A routine flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv turned into a mid-air nightmare on Wednesday when a co-pilot allegedly stabbed the Indian captain and attempted to take control of the aircraft, sending the jet into a steep descent before passengers and crew members stormed the cockpit and subdued him.

Flight FZ1073, carrying 174 people, eventually made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The passengers later reached Israel on another flydubai flight, where they were greeted by emergency responders and cheering onlookers. Three passengers were treated for minor injuries.

Israeli officials said the incident initially triggered fears of a hijacking, prompting Israel to scramble fighter jets. The motive behind the cockpit attack remained unclear, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the suspect was an Omani national who had been arrested and was being questioned in Saudi Arabia.

Stabbed Captain Opens Cockpit Door

The crisis unfolded around two-and-a-half hours after the Boeing 737 Max 8 left Dubai.

Passenger Yaniv Hayoun, whom Netanyahu identified as a plumber, said he and other passengers forced their way into the cockpit after realising something was seriously wrong.

According to Hayoun, the cockpit door was apparently unlocked, but entering was difficult because Captain Smit Machchhar had been stabbed and was lying on the other side.

Inside, passengers saw the alleged attacker apparently trying to damage or manipulate the aircraft's controls.

As passengers wrestled with him, Hayoun said he grabbed the controls and tried to stabilise the aircraft based on what he had seen in television programmes. Other crew members then took over.

flydubai said its on-duty crew secured the aircraft, diverted the flight and landed it safely in Tabuk. The airline said the circumstances and motive remained under investigation.

Captain Smit Machchhar Seriously Injured

Machchhar, an Indian national, was seriously wounded during the confrontation.

Netanyahu later identified him publicly and praised his actions, saying the captain managed to fight back and open the cockpit door despite his injuries, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker.

The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said Machchhar was hospitalised in stable condition. Reuters reported that he underwent surgery in Tabuk.

Netanyahu credited the captain and those who intervened with preventing a potential disaster involving all 174 people aboard.

The attacker's identity and exact motive have not been independently established, and authorities are continuing to investigate the incident.

Dentist Among Passengers Who Rushed To Help

Dentist Shota Musayev was among those who responded after the cockpit was breached.

He said passengers realised they had only seconds to act and also feared that another attacker could be on board. Some people therefore positioned themselves elsewhere inside the aircraft so they could react if another threat emerged.

Musayev then treated the injured captain.

He said Machchhar remained conscious for much of the ordeal and appeared to be praying while the dentist tried to control his injuries.

Footage reviewed by The Associated Press showed two bloodied and wounded men on the floor of the aircraft.

Plane Plunged Thousands Of Feet

The most alarming part of the incident came when the aircraft suddenly lost altitude.

Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft descending from around 33,000 feet to approximately 17,000 feet in about a minute before making an erratic turn near the Jordanian border. It eventually landed in Tabuk.

Reuters reported that the aircraft plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds during the crisis.

Passenger Almog Italie described the descent as a sudden fall accompanied by what felt like enormous gravitational forces.

Aviation experts said the aircraft's survival was remarkable given the severity of the descent.

Former United Airlines pilot and aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said the aerodynamic forces were strong enough to damage the aircraft's rudder, while former National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration investigator Jeff Guzzetti said the remaining altitude may have been crucial to recovering from the dive.

Mayday Call And Emergency Landing

As the flight searched for somewhere to land, a mayday call was made to air traffic controllers.

A person who heard the communications said the pilot reported a hijacking and requested an emergency landing, with passengers reportedly screaming in the background.

The aircraft was initially directed away from Saudi Arabia and towards Jordan before eventually returning towards Saudi territory.

The plane landed at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk after declaring the emergency.

The incident prompted Israel to scramble fighter aircraft amid fears that the aircraft could have been hijacked. Israeli authorities later said the passengers were safely transported to Israel on another flight.

flydubai Suspends Israel Flights

flydubai said flights to and from Israel would be suspended while the investigation into the incident takes place.

The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority also said it was investigating the security incident.

Netanyahu said he had spoken with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and that Israel would participate in questioning the suspect.

The emergency came during a busy travel period for Israelis, with the Jewish High Holy Days ending and national elections scheduled for October 27. Many Israelis living or travelling abroad were expected to return home to vote.

Saudi Arabia's Emergency Landing For Israelis

The emergency landing was notable because Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have formal diplomatic relations.

However, Saudi Arabia lifted its longstanding ban on Israeli aircraft using its airspace in 2022. Since then, Saudi authorities have facilitated emergency landings involving Israeli passengers, including an incident in 2023 involving an aircraft with an electrical malfunction.

The UAE, meanwhile, has become a major destination for Israeli tourists since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 2020. flydubai, the lower-cost sister airline of Emirates, operates flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv.

The investigation into Wednesday's cockpit attack is continuing, with authorities yet to establish the precise motive behind the assault.