A Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after one pilot allegedly stabbed another during a cockpit confrontation. Israeli authorities said passengers and crew intervened as the aircraft descended sharply, preventing what they described as an apparent attempt to crash the plane.
The airline confirmed that an altercation occurred on the flight deck of Flight FZ1073, which diverted to Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Flydubai said everyone aboard was accounted for, while airport authorities confirmed that both the captain and first officer were taken to hospital with injuries. The circumstances and motive remain under investigation.
What Happened During the Flight?
The aircraft departed Dubai at approximately 7:05 a.m. local time and climbed to a cruising altitude of 34,000 feet. According to Flightradar24, it later experienced a steep descent, followed by a sharp climb and another descent, before flying at approximately 15,000 feet.
Tracking data also showed the aircraft transmitting emergency code 7700, followed by 7500, which indicates unlawful interference. It subsequently returned to the general emergency code while approaching Tabuk. These signals establish that a serious emergency was communicated, but do not independently establish the attacker’s intentions or the precise sequence of events inside the cockpit.
Passengers described hearing screams from the front of the aircraft and feeling it shake and descend. One passenger, Motti Cohen Or, told NBC News that a woman shouted that someone was being stabbed in the cockpit before the plane briefly dived towards the ground.
Passengers and Crew Intervene
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had spoken to a passenger who helped subdue the alleged attacker. According to Netanyahu’s account, the passenger and a crew member entered the cockpit while the aircraft was descending and restrained the pilot accused of carrying out the stabbing. Another flight crew member then stabilised the aircraft.
Flydubai’s statement confirmed that on-duty crew members travelling aboard the flight secured the aircraft and landed it safely in Tabuk. The airline did not provide a detailed public reconstruction of the confrontation or independently confirm every aspect of the accounts given by passengers and Israeli officials.
Injured Captain Reported to Be Indian
The Indian Express, citing people familiar with the matter, identified the injured captain as Smit Machchhar, an Indian national who previously worked for SpiceJet. The newspaper reported that he joined Flydubai in June 2022 after spending approximately 11 years with the Indian airline, where his roles included senior commander and line training captain. These identity and career details were reported by the newspaper rather than disclosed in the airline’s initial statement.
Saudi airport operator Cluster2 confirmed that the captain and first officer were receiving hospital treatment. Flydubai arranged replacement aircraft, and passengers subsequently continued to Israel, arriving at Ben Gurion Airport later on Wednesday.
Was It an Attempted Terrorist Attack?
Israeli officials have alleged that the confrontation involved an attempt to deliberately bring down the aircraft. Defence Minister Israel Katz characterised it as an attempted terrorist attack, while Netanyahu said Saudi authorities had arrested and were questioning the suspected attacker. NPR reported that Saudi Arabia had not immediately commented on the arrest claim.
Those allegations should be distinguished from the findings of a completed investigation. Flydubai said the underlying reasons and motives remained unknown and urged against premature speculation while investigators gathered evidence.
The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority separately confirmed that the flight experienced a security incident requiring an emergency diversion. In a statement carried by the Emirates News Agency, it said investigation teams were coordinating with relevant authorities to examine the incident’s causes, including operational and security aspects. It also urged the public not to circulate unofficial information or anticipate the investigation’s conclusions.
A Safe Landing, but Important Questions Remain
The immediate emergency ended with the aircraft reaching Tabuk safely and passengers later completing their journey. However, the accounts published so far leave important questions unresolved, including how the confrontation began, how a weapon reportedly came to be used, and exactly how control of the aircraft was restored. The airline and aviation authorities have not yet published a definitive account.
For now, the established facts are that a cockpit altercation forced an emergency diversion, both pilots required hospital care, and other crew members secured the aircraft. Claims about a deliberate crash attempt are central to the investigation—but the motive and full chain of events remain to be formally established.
