Flydubai Co-Pilot Stabs Captain During Flight FZ1073
- An attempted terror attack aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073 on September 30 was narrowly averted when passengers and crew overmaned the co-pilot after he stabbed the captain and sent...
- The aircraft was operating a scheduled route through Saudi airspace when a violent struggle erupted inside the cockpit.
- Despite suffering severe knife wounds to his head and hands, Captain Machchhar used his final reserves of strength to unlock the armored cockpit door from the floor, allowing...
An attempted terror attack aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073 on September 30 was narrowly averted when passengers and crew overmaned the co-pilot after he stabbed the captain and sent the Boeing 737 into a steep, terrifying descent over Saudi airspace. The flight, carrying 174 passengers—including 166 Israelis—from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was diverted to Tabuk, where it nødlandet roughly 90 minutes after the attack broke out.
Flight FZ1073 From Dubai to Tel Aviv
The aircraft was operating a scheduled route through Saudi airspace when a violent struggle erupted inside the cockpit. The co-pilot—an Omani national—stabbed Indian captain Smit Machchhar with a sharp weapon and attempted to crash the plane in what passengers described as a potential suicide mission. The airplane plummeted rapidly as the two pilots fought for control of the flight deck controls, generating scenes of panic among the 174 passengers and eight crew members on board.
Several passengers recounted the terrifying moments of weightlessness and freefall. Passenger Daniel told reporters that the steep drop felt like an eternity and brought back memories of the September 11, 2001, attacks. Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayum and other travelers rushed past cabin boundaries to reach the flight deck, where they directly confronted the attacker and stabilized the aircraft.
Cockpit Struggle and Emergency Landing in Saudi Arabia
Despite suffering severe knife wounds to his head and hands, Captain Machchhar used his final reserves of strength to unlock the armored cockpit door from the floor, allowing passengers and off-duty pilots to enter. Machchhar recalled thinking that the door was right there and he simply needed to open it so help could get inside.
Once the door was breached, passengers pulled the co-pilot from the controls and secured him using electrical wires and plastic strips. Two off-duty pilots who happened to be among the passengers stepped forward to take over the flight deck controls and pull the aircraft out of its dangerous dive. The damaged Boeing 737 was subsequently diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. Both the wounded captain and the detained co-pilot were rushed to local hospitals for urgent medical treatment.
Investigation Into Jihadist Indoctrination and International Security
Investigative disclosures reveal that the suspect had previously undergone co-pilot training with Oman Air in 2024. During that training period, police sources found extremist material in his possession, prompting Oman Air to issue a formal flight ban due to security risks. Despite that internal ban, the airline allowed him to remain employed in an administrative role. Investigators are now examining how he subsequently secured employment with Flydubai and managed to fly as a co-pilot despite the active restriction.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in an interview with Fox News that intelligence findings indicate the suspect underwent Islamist indoctrination. Israel’s defense establishment has formally classified the incident as a jihadist terror attempt. Intelligence services from Israel, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates are actively collaborating on the cross-border investigation, and the suspect has since been transferred from Saudi custody to the United Arab Emirates.
Suspension of Flydubai Flights to Israel
In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Flydubai announced the temporary suspension of all flight operations between Dubai and Israel while security procedures are re-evaluated. Israeli authorities have concurrently implemented stringent new vetting protocols for commercial pilots operating routes into the country, including mandatory advance identity screening. Meanwhile, wounded captain Smit Machchhar and passenger Yaniv Hayum have received high-level praise from both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for preventing a massive aviation disaster.