A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday after what Israeli officials and passengers described as a cockpit stabbing and an apparent attempt to crash the aircraft. Flydubai confirmed an “altercation” in the flight deck of FZ1073 and said on-duty Flydubai crew traveling on the flight secured the plane and landed it safely with 174 people aboard, according to the BBC (opens in new tab) and Anadolu Agency (opens in new tab).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identified the wounded captain as Indian national Smit Machchhar and praised him for unlocking the reinforced cockpit door despite serious injuries, according to Netanyahu and his office, so that passengers and crew could restrain the other pilot. Passenger Yaniv Hayun said he put the attacker in a chokehold; others said the attacker was tied with zip ties and headphone cords. Flightradar24 data cited by the BBC (opens in new tab) showed a drop of more than 17,000 feet and emergency transponder codes 7700 and then 7500, which signals unlawful interference such as a hijacking.
Netanyahu told Fox News it was “too early to say” whether Iran was involved and that the alleged attacker was being investigated in Saudi Arabia and expected to be transferred to the UAE. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz called the episode an “attempted jihadist terror attack” without detailing evidence. The UAE’s chief prosecutor said an investigation would examine any link to terrorist activity. Flydubai suspended all flights to and from Israel during the probe and urged all parties “to refrain from premature speculation.”
Machchhar was in stable condition in a hospital in Tabuk, the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said; India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Netanyahu both publicly hailed his actions. U.S. President Donald Trump said the co-pilot was “perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack job.” Two senior U.S. law enforcement officials told NBC News (opens in new tab) the alleged attacker is from Oman; Omani authorities had not commented. Netanyahu later claimed the co-pilot had undergone “Islamic radical indoctrination” and was probably suicidal, citing preliminary indications, The Guardian (opens in new tab) reported. A senior U.S. official told NBC News (opens in new tab) there were no indications Iran was involved, and Israeli security officials told the AP and Reuters they had not found Iranian involvement. Motive, and how a weapon reached the cockpit, remain under investigation by Saudi authorities working with the UAE, the U.S., Oman and Israel.