Indian captain Machchhar saves 174 after cockpit stabbing on flydubai flight

Indian captain Smit Machchhar of flydubai flight FZ1073, flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was stabbed by his co-pilot, who allegedly tried to crash the aircraft, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Machchhar opened the cockpit door despite his wounds, letting passengers and crew overpower the attacker. The plane diverted and landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia. Netanyahu said Machchhar saved the lives of 174 people on board, including Israeli citizens and other nationals.hindustantimes.com+1

The attack brought 174 passengers, including 27 children, to the edge of a crash, and the captain's decision to open the cockpit door let crew and passengers overpower the attacker. Netanyahu credited that choice with preventing what he called a catastrophic mid-air disaster. A routine Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight became an emergency that required Saudi hospitals and drew Israeli fighter jets.indiatoday.in

What happened aboard FZ1073

According to Netanyahu, an Israeli passenger told him the aircraft went into a spin and began descending. The passenger and a crew member then broke into the cockpit and overpowered the pilot who had carried out the stabbing while he was allegedly trying to sabotage the aircraft's systems. Netanyahu said another crew member entered and helped stabilise the aircraft. The passengers later told Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport that Machchhar opened the cockpit door before collapsing after being stabbed.lbc.co.uk

Flight-tracking data analysed by BBC Verify showed the aircraft cruising at about 34,000 feet before descending more than 17,000 feet in less than two minutes. The aircraft then transmitted emergency signals, including a code indicating possible unlawful interference. BBC Verify also reported that the seat layout and design seen in videos were consistent with a flydubai Boeing 737 MAX. Israeli authorities, fearing a possible hijacking, scrambled Israeli Air Force fighter jets. The sharp descent and emergency code are the measurable signs of the mid-air crisis.

Two off-duty pilots on board, one British and one described as European, took over the controls and carried out the emergency landing after passengers overpowered the attacker. The plane had taken off from Dubai and was due to land in Tel Aviv, but was diverted when a general emergency signal was flagged. flydubai said its on-duty crew secured the aircraft.

How the aircraft was stopped

Tabuk airport authorities said the captain and first officer sustained injuries and were immediately transferred to a hospital for medical care, and that passengers were provided with assistance at the terminal. The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia, working with the Indian Consulate in Jeddah, said Machchhar was admitted to a hospital in Tabuk city in northwest Saudi Arabia and was reported to be in stable condition. The embassy said it was in touch with his family and would continue to follow up with Saudi authorities.

The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia posted on X that a full update on Machchhar's health was awaited but he was reported to be in stable condition. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana said the people of Israel were praying for Machchhar, writing that in a moment of terror he showed extraordinary courage. Netanyahu hailed Machchhar as a "true hero" and said, "My salute to the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery." Videos circulated on social media showed a pilot drenched in blood, wearing an oxygen mask, lying in the galley.

Where Machchhar is being treated

flydubai confirmed the aircraft had experienced an in-flight "altercation" and landed safely in Tabuk, saying all passengers and crew were safe and accounted for. The airline said the underlying reasons and motives behind the event were unknown and remained subject to a formal investigation, urging parties to refrain from premature speculation. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the incident as "a jihadist terrorist attack attempt, which was thwarted only thanks to the bravery of several Israeli passengers who broke into the cockpit and overpowered the terrorist".

Netanyahu said the pilot believed to have carried out the stabbing, believed to be an Omani national, had been arrested and was being questioned by Saudi authorities. The incident remains under investigation. Hours later, passengers returned to Tel Aviv on a flydubai rescue flight, after Saudi authorities denied permission for an Israeli rescue aircraft, The Jerusalem Post reported. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for action against whoever tried to crash a plane.

What remains under investigation

The next step is the formal investigation flydubai said was under way into the underlying reasons and motives behind the event, with Saudi authorities questioning the arrested pilot. The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said a full update on Machchhar's health was awaited, and Israeli authorities are also investigating. Machchhar remains hospitalised in Tabuk in stable condition.