The short version
- One pilot stabbed another on Flydubai flight FZ1073, leading to a rapid descent and emergency signals indicating unlawful interference before the plane landed in Saudi Arabia.
- Passengers broke into the cockpit to subdue the attacker, with one civilian taking manual control of the aircraft to help level it out while others restrained the assailant.
- Israeli officials described the incident as a serious security breach, though investigators have not yet confirmed a specific motive or classified it officially as terrorism.
A commercial flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a violent altercation between two pilots led to the aircraft entering a dangerous descent. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that one pilot stabbed the other and then appeared to attempt to crash the plane. The incident prompted immediate responses from regional air forces, with both Israel and Saudi Arabia scrambling fighter jets to intercept the aircraft as it transmitted distress signals.
Flight tracking data indicates that Flydubai flight FZ1073 departed Dubai International Airport at 03:05 GMT carrying approximately 150 people. About two and a half hours into the journey, while over Saudi airspace, the plane dropped more than 17,000 feet in less than two minutes. Shortly after this rapid descent, the aircraft transmitted squawk code 7700, indicating a general emergency, followed by squawk 7500, which signals hijacking or unlawful interference. The plane briefly entered Jordanian airspace before looping back into Saudi Arabia to begin a manual descent toward Tabuk Airport.
According to Netanyahu, an Israeli passenger and a crew member managed to break into the cockpit after the aircraft went into a spin. They overpowered the pilot who had carried out the stabbing. Passenger Yaniv Hayun described the chaotic scene in a video released by the prime minister’s office, noting that he and others struggled to open the cockpit door while the stabbed pilot lay nearby. Before collapsing, the injured pilot managed to unlock the door, allowing passengers to enter.
Inside the cockpit, Hayun said the attacker was attempting to destroy flight instruments to disable the plane. Hayun placed the assailant in a chokehold and pulled him out of the cockpit, where other passengers helped pin him down. Citing knowledge from aviation documentary series, Hayun explained that he took manual control of the aircraft’s controls to help stabilize its descent until another pilot could take over. Another passenger, Zvika Meness, reported that they restrained the attacker using zip ties and multimedia headphones found on board.
The stabbed pilot was identified as Indian national Captain Smit Machchhar. The Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia confirmed he is in stable condition after being taken to a hospital. Netanyahu praised Machchhar as a hero for saving the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals. The attacker remains in custody and is being questioned by Saudi authorities, according to the Israeli prime minister.
Eyewitness accounts from passengers describe a terrifying sequence of events. Yasmin Abukasis said her daughter reported hearing screaming and seeing blood as a man with a knife forced a pilot to the floor. She noted that two other pilots eventually took control while passengers rushed toward the attacker. Another female passenger told Israeli media that shirts were covered in blood and that the realization of losing control was extremely stressful. Almog Itali, also on board, stated that one of the pilots who helped land the aircraft was British, while the other was European.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz characterized the event as an attempted jihadist terror attack. However, official statements from police, emergency services, or investigators regarding a specific motive have not been received by international news outlets. Netanyahu called it a very serious security incident and emphasized that Israeli security forces are maintaining close contact with relevant authorities to ensure passenger safety.
The passengers were eventually transported to Tel Aviv on a separate Flydubai flight that landed at Ben Gurion Airport later in the day. The incident has raised questions about cockpit security protocols and the potential for insider threats in commercial aviation. While the immediate danger has passed, investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances surrounding the attack and the attacker’s intentions.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- BBC News↗What we know about stabbing on Israel-bound plane
- The Guardian World↗Netanyahu says pilot arrested after stabbing fellow pilot and apparently trying to crash Israel-bound plane – as it happened
