A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after an altercation between the pilots, raising fears of a possible hijacking and prompting Israel to scramble fighter jets.The aircraft, carrying over 160 Israeli passengers, landed safely in Tabuk, while an investigation into the incident is underway.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pilot who allegedly attacked the other pilot had been arrested and interrogated by Saudi authorities.He also said a second crew aboard the flight helped stabilise the aircraft after the incident. Israeli authorities have described the episode as a potentially serious security incident, while flydubai has said its teams are working with the relevant authorities.
Netanyahu says pilot arrested, passengers helped stabilise plane
In a video posted by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu gave a detailed account of what he said happened aboard the flight. He said that, as the aircraft approached Israel, one of the pilots stabbed the second pilot and apparently tried to crash the plane with everyone on board.Netanyahu said he had spoken to one of the Israeli passengers, who told him that the aircraft went into a spin and began to dive. According to Netanyahu, the passenger and one of the crew members managed to enter the cockpit and neutralise the pilot who had allegedly carried out the stabbing while he was trying to sabotage the aircraft’s systems.Netanyahu said another flight crew member then entered the cockpit and helped stabilise the plane. He praised those involved, saying they showed “exceptional resourcefulness and courage” and had “saved many lives” and “prevented a huge disaster”.Netanyahu said the aircraft landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia and that all passengers were out of danger. He said the pilot who carried out the stabbing had been arrested and was being interrogated by Saudi authorities.He also said Israel was maintaining contact with the relevant authorities to ensure the passengers’ well-being and their safe return home. Netanyahu said he had instructed Israel’s security services to prepare for additional potential threats and that situation assessments were continuing.Netanyahu praised the people aboard the aircraft who prevented what he described as a “major disaster”.The aircraft had transmitted an emergency alert around two and a half hours after departing Dubai, according to publicly available flight-tracking information.It then dropped sharply from about 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet within roughly a minute before making an erratic circle near the Jordanian border and later landing in Tabuk, according to Flightradar24.
Indian embassy says injured pilot Smit Machchhar stable
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh said Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, who was injured in the Flydubai flight incident and is being treated at a hospital in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk, is in stable condition.“Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah have been following the health condition of Mr Smit Machchhar, the brave Indian pilot of Flydubai flight that was diverted to Tabuk today,” the embassy said in a post on X.“He is admitted in a hospital in Tabuk city in northwest Saudi Arabia and receiving necessary medical attention. A full update on his health is awaited but he is reported to be in stable condition,” it said.The embassy said it was in touch with Machchhar’s family and Saudi authorities and would continue to follow up on his health. “We hope that he recovers from his injuries at the earliest,” it said, assuring the family of “all possible assistance for his wellbeing”.Machchhar was reportedly one of the pilots involved in the cockpit altercation aboard Flydubai flight FZ 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Israeli authorities had earlier said a second crew member helped stabilise the aircraft after the incident, allowing it to make an emergency landing in Tabuk.
Knife attack reported inside cockpit
An Israeli official told news agency AP that a fight broke out between the pilots and that one of them was armed with a knife. Reuters reported that the co-pilot was believed to have stabbed the captain before cabin crew entered the cockpit.Another regional official also said an altercation had taken place in the cockpit, although the cause of the fight was not immediately clear.The aircraft’s captain and first officer were injured and taken to hospital, according to a statement from Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk carried by Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya television.Passengers told Israel’s Channel 12 that they heard shouting from the front of the aircraft and that the plane then dipped sharply. A passenger’s mother, speaking to AFP, said her daughter heard one pilot allegedly trying to kill the other with a knife and heard cries for help.Videos reviewed by AP showed two injured men on the floor of the aircraft, with others apparently providing medical assistance and guarding the cockpit.Israeli media reports said the suspected attacker attempted to take control of the aircraft and force it into a descent.Flydubai confirmed that flight FZ 1073, travelling from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport, had experienced an incident and landed safely in Tabuk.“Our teams are working closely with the relevant authorities,” the airline said.
Israel scrambles fighter jets
Israel scrambled warplanes after concerns that the aircraft could have been hijacked, AP reported, citing officials. Netanyahu’s office later said the situation was under control and that Israel was working to bring the passengers home.The Israel Airports Authority has opened a dedicated waiting and information area at Ben Gurion Airport for families of passengers on the flight.The area was set up in Terminal 1, with authorities saying representatives would provide families with information and assistance.Transport minister Miri Regev had asked the Civil Aviation Authority to investigate an alleged violation of the aviation agreement between Israel and the UAE. She also demanded that flydubai flights to Israel be suspended.The Times of Israel, cited by news agency ANI, reported that a second team of pilots in civilian clothes was aboard the aircraft and that they helped prevent one of the pilots from taking control of the plane. The report said the information had not been independently confirmed.As per Israel’s Channel 12, the pilot who helped prevent the aircraft from crashing was of Indian origin, while the co-pilot was reportedly Omani. The nationality details have not been independently confirmed by Flydubai.Israeli authorities are also examining how the Omani national was cleared to operate a flight to Israel. Passengers are expected to be questioned by Israel’s security establishment after returning to the country.Earlier, Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister had held consultations and was monitoring the situation. “The incident is under control, and all measures are currently being deployed in order to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel,” it said.The investigation remains underway, with the airline saying further updates would be issued once additional confirmed details become available.