Flydubai co-pilot arrested after stabbing captain on flight to Israel
A Flydubai co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain mid-flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, triggering an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia and a security probe.
A mid-air crisis on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv forced an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to crash the plane, according to multiple reports. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident as a "very serious security event," with passengers and crew intervening to subdue the attacker and avert a potential catastrophe.
Pilot Stabbing Sparks Emergency Landing
Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 carrying approximately 180 passengers, was en route to Ben Gurion International Airport when the incident occurred. According to Israeli authorities, the co-pilot stabbed the captain, triggering a violent confrontation in the cockpit. The aircraft transmitted emergency signals, including the hijacking code 7500, and abruptly changed course over Saudi Arabia, descending from 34,000 feet to 17,000 feet in under a minute, as reported by flight tracking data. A second Flydubai flight, FZ1081, later landed safely in Tel Aviv after initially diverting toward the UAE.
Passengers described hearing screams and seeing blood after the cockpit door was opened. "We heard screams on the plane. Then they opened the cockpit, and we saw blood," a passenger told Israeli Channel 12. Another passenger, Miryam Shira Ohayon, recounted that the co-pilot "tried to murder the pilot and basically carry out a suicide attack on the plane," causing it to "go out of control."
Passengers and Crew Averted Disaster
Israeli officials credited passengers and crew with preventing a potential tragedy. Two off-duty pilots, described as traveling as passengers, reportedly took control of the aircraft after subduing the attacker. "The resourcefulness of many people who took control of the co-pilot and neutralized him" was highlighted by Netanyahu, who praised the "heroes" who averted a "major disaster."
One passenger, Itzhak Liber, recorded a video stating, "We took control of the situation here on the flight. There was an attacker with a knife who stabbed one of the pilots. We just jumped on him and restrained him together with the pilot." Another passenger, Zvika Manes, said he was "covered in blood" after helping subdue the attacker, while others prayed "Shema Yisrael," a Jewish prayer for protection.
Arrest and Investigation
Saudi authorities arrested the co-pilot, identified as an Omani national, and are interrogating him. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed the arrest, stating the pilot was "being questioned by the Saudi authorities." The captain, identified as Indian national Smit Machchhar, was hospitalized with stab wounds and later underwent surgery, according to reports. His condition is now stable. Two other crew members also received treatment.
Israeli security agencies are investigating whether the incident was a deliberate act of terror, a suicide attempt, or an unprovoked altercation. Netanyahu warned that the motive remained "unclear," with officials considering the possibility of a "9/11-style attack." However, some reports suggested the co-pilot may have acted alone, with no immediate evidence of broader coordination.
Security Concerns and Political Context
The incident occurred amid heightened security warnings from Israeli officials, though no specific timeline for elections was cited. Netanyahu's office stated that security forces were "preparing for other potential threats," though no direct link to the Flydubai incident was confirmed.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the event as an "attempted jihadist terror attack," citing the involvement of "off-duty pilots" who "returned control of the aircraft to an additional flight crew." However, some sources, including the Australian and firstpost.com, noted that claims of a deliberate crash attempt remained unverified, with authorities still investigating the cause of the cockpit fight.
Flydubai confirmed the "altercation" in the flight deck but provided no further details, stating that "all passengers and crew are safe and accounted for." The airline has since deployed a replacement aircraft to transport passengers to Tel Aviv, though some Israeli travelers refused to reboard the original plane.
New Details from Updated Sources
Flight tracking data revealed the plane dipped dramatically during the reported fight, descending about 16,000ft in just two minutes. Israeli officials scrambled fighter jets, fearing a possible hijacking of the flight carrying dozens of Israelis, and the plane landed at Tabuk airport in north-western Saudi Arabia. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 was diverted to Tabuk after transmitting a general emergency signal about two and a half hours after departing from Dubai.
Passenger Miryam Shira Ohayon said the plane was "pretty much out of control" when the alleged stabbing took place over Jordan on the flight’s path from Dubai to Tel Aviv. "The co-pilot tried to murder the pilot and basically carry out a suicide attack on the plane," she told reporters by speakerphone held up by her mother who was waiting at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.
The plane again transmitted the initial general emergency signal before later landing at Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk airport. Tabuk airport said the plane landed at 9.45am local time and that both pilots were taken to hospital after sustaining injuries. A rescue flight later transported passengers to Tel Aviv, with reports indicating 166 of 174 passengers were Israeli.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said one of the pilots stabbed his fellow pilot and intended to crash the plane. He added that one of the passengers on the flight managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members, and together they “neutralised” the attacking pilot. Netanyahu described it as “an extremely severe security incident.” Other officials, including defence minister Israel Katz, have called it an attempted terrorist attack.
The pilot who was stabbed, Smit Machchhar, has been a captain on Flydubai's Boeing 737 fleet since June 2022, according to his LinkedIn profile. Before that, he spent 11 years at SpiceJet in Mumbai, where he was a senior commander and line training captain. His profile lists 9,750 flying hours on the 737-800 and the 737 MAX 8 and 9.
Flight FZ1073 was diverted amid an altercation in the cockpit, with the Indian captain fighting to prevent an alleged attempt to crash the plane. Israeli passengers later helped subdue the co-pilot, according to Netanyahu. A second set of pilots who were aboard the aircraft and scheduled to replace the original flight crew took control and ultimately landed the plane safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Updated 1 time since publication; last update 8 November 2026, 09:41.
