PASSENGERS and off-duty flight crew aboard a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv successfully thwarted a mid-air disaster on Wednesday after a co-pilot stabbed the captain and sent the aircraft into a terrifying 14,000-foot dive.
Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia after passengers breached the cockpit, restrained the attacker, and allowed a second pair of flydubai pilots travelling on board to take control of the aircraft.
Reuters, on Thursday, cited a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirming that the wounded captain, identified as Indian national Smit Machchhar, managed to unlock the cockpit door while covered in blood on the floor. Entering passengers discovered the co-pilot actively hammering at the flight control panels.
Following a ten-hour delay in Saudi Arabia, 174 passengers arrived at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport aboard a replacement flydubai plane, with many recounting the frantic struggle inside the cabin.
“I just can say that it was a miracle. It was awful, crazy, and we thank God that we survived it, we didn't think we will make it but thank God we are in Israel. We are back home. And we are happy to see everyone here,” said passenger Lital Shachaf upon landing.
Another passenger involved in the physical struggle, Asaf Rajuan, described the instant reaction to the sudden altitude drop. “This is something you do without thinking, just running to save your daughter’s life, your family’s life,” he said, speaking with visible injuries to his forehead.
Addressing the passenger who broke into the cockpit, Yaniv Hayun, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated during a meeting at the airport: “I see you and I see a lion – a big hero.”
In response to the mid-flight attack, Israeli authorities announced immediate plans to tighten security vetting procedures for all foreign flight crews entering Israeli airspace.
“Every pilot that is going to be flying into Israel, we are going to know the pilots' identities, know who they are, and do some type of security check,” said Netanyahu spokesperson Doron Spielman.
In an official statement, flydubai confirmed that an altercation occurred in the cockpit leading to the emergency diversion to Tabuk, but cautioned against premature speculation regarding the underlying motives. The United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the flight experienced a security incident that was swiftly brought under control.
Responding to the security breach on social media, Israeli far-right Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted that terrorism is a devil with whom no agreement must be reached.
US President Donald Trump noted during an Oval Office briefing that he spoke at length with Netanyahu regarding the mid-air struggle, adding: “This is the story that I heard — I don't know if it's true, but that's the story that I got from Bibi.”
Saudi authorities have taken the co-pilot, identified by Israeli officials as an Omani national, into custody for interrogation while both primary pilots received medical treatment for injuries sustained in the cockpit. - October 1, 2026
