One pilot 'stabbed the other' and 'apparently tried to crash' Israel-bound plane, Netanyahu says
Passengers and crew subdued the attacker as the aircraft lost more than 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds, flight-tracking data showed.
- On Wednesday, September 30, 2026, Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after a violent cockpit incident involving a stabbing and sudden altitude loss.
- Israeli officials allege an Omani co-pilot stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, and attempted to crash the aircraft, though Flydubai describes the event as an 'altercation' between pilots.
- Flightradar24 data shows the Boeing 737 MAX 8 dropped from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet while transmitting emergency codes 7700 and 7500, before passengers and crew intervened to neutralize the attacker.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported that Saudi authorities arrested the co-pilot, while injured pilots were hospitalized and Israeli warplanes briefly scrambled over hijacking fears.
- Authorities are increasing security scrutiny for Israel-bound flights, while pragmatic aviation cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia—which lack formal diplomatic ties—enabled the emergency landing.
1198 Articles
1198 Articles
abc 7 Chicago
FlyDubai attack: Plumber helped subdue flight attacker, pull plane out of nosedive
A man who was among of group of passengers that subdued an attack Wednesday was welcomed by Israeli leaders when he returned to Israel later in the evening.
‘Israel’s 9/11’ Prevented — Who Are the Heroes behind the Stopped Flydubai Hijacking
An Omani co-pilot stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073 in a suspected 9/11-style terror plot. The attack caused a terrifying 17,400-foot plunge before the captain, passenger Yaniv Hayoun, and crew neutralized the hijacker. The plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia, earning praise from leaders Narendra Modi and Benjamin Netanyahu.
On Wednesday morning, on Flydubai flight FZ1073, an omanic co-pilot of Muslim faith stabbed the Indian captain and tried to crash the plane. The plane bagged thousands of meters, Israeli passengers overwhelmed the attacker. The system media played down the incident or provided misinformation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that passengers and the injured captain of Flydubai flight, from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Israel, avoided a catastrophe that would have...
Israel qualifies as an attempted terrorist attack what happened on the plane, while the airline asks that no precipitous conclusions be drawn before knowing the results of the investigation.While flight FZ 1073 was flying westwards over the Gulf waters towards Israel, its passengers may have lamented a 20-minute delay in take-off. To be a low-cost airline route, Flydubai's daily service to Tel Aviv is usually comfortable and reliable. Direct fli…
The Dubai Air flight co-pilot attacked the captain with a knife, causing the plane to crash abruptly. Fortunately, the passengers and crew joined forces to subdue them, and the plane landed safely to resolve an air havoc. The incident clearly stemmed from the inside of the cockpit, and the motive for the crime is still to be investigated.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 37% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
