On 30 September, a Flydubai aircraft en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv was rocked by an internal assault. The assailant, a pilot, stabbed his colleague and reportedly vowed to crash the plane.
Passengers and on‑board crew rushed into the cockpit, managed to overpower the attacker and regain control of the aircraft, then diverted it to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the stowaway group as heroes, saying the stabbed pilot “seriously injured” but managed to open the cockpit door, enabling the restraint of the attacker. He remarked that the crew “saved many lives and prevented a major disaster.”
The victim, Indian national Captain Smit Machchhar, was transported to a hospital in stable condition. The incident’s motive remains unclear; Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz described it as an “attempted jihadist terror attack,” while US President Donald Trump acknowledged the severity of the event and suggested the possibility of terrorism.
Flight FZ1073, a Flydubai commercial flight, took off from Dubai International Airport at 03:05 GMT. Roughly two and a half hours into the flight, the aircraft descended 17,000 feet in under two minutes, signaling an emergency. The crew activated distinct squawk codes for general emergency (7700) and hijack (7500) before eventually landing in Tabuk.
“There were children and families here who have been through a highly traumatic event,” recounted passenger Zvika Meness to the national broadcaster Kana. Another passenger, Yaniv Hayun, praised the efforts of fellow passengers who tied the attacker with zip‑ties and headphones, and claimed he pulled the flight controls after the cockpit was cleared.
The plane’s passengers arrived in Tel Aviv at around 18:40 local time and were welcomed by crowds singing, dancing, and waving Israeli flags. An emotional, tearful crowd greeted them as they disembarked. Netanyahu urged continued safety for the passengers and maintained close contact with relevant authorities.
Flydubai confirmed that an “altercation occurred in the flight deck” and that the flight was “successfully secured by on‑duty Flydubai crew traveling on the flight.” The airline has pledged to support the ongoing investigation and ensure passenger wellbeing.
