Netanyahu: Flydubai Pilot Stabbed, Arm 'Split in Two' in Attack Averted by 'Superheroes'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the harrowing incident aboard an Israel-bound flight as 'Hollywood on steroids,' praising passengers for subduing an attacker and saving the plane.
An attempted hijacking of an Israel-bound Flydubai flight involved the pilot being stabbed in the head and having his arm "split in two," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed Thursday. He lauded the passengers who intervened as "superheroes" for their actions during the incident, which he characterized as "Hollywood on steroids."
Netanyahu stated that Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, was attacked by his co-pilot, whom he described as an "Islamist radical" on a suicide mission to crash the plane originating from Dubai. "He was stabbed in the head, and his arm was basically split in two, and there was a lot of blood," Netanyahu said of the pilot's injuries.
The prime minister expressed admiration for the passengers, including a plumber, who rushed to subdue the attacker. The aircraft reportedly plunged 17,000 feet in two minutes when the co-pilot launched his assault. Passengers managed to tie up the attacker using a headphone cord, while off-duty pilots on board took control of the aircraft to prevent a crash.
"These are ordinary civilians, you know Israeli citizens, who became heroes — superheroes," Netanyahu said, emphasizing the extraordinary bravery displayed. "They got control over the situation and we could be sitting today in a 9-11 tragedy, with bodies scattered in the desert."
A dentist on board assisted in stabilizing the injured pilot, who was seen in footage with an oxygen mask, lying in the galley near a blood-stained wall. Two relief pilots, who were scheduled to operate a subsequent flight, were able to regain control of the Boeing 737 Max and execute an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Netanyahu suggested the co-pilot had undergone "Islamist radical indoctrination" prior to the attack, though he could not confirm any specific links to terrorist organizations or Iran. The co-pilot, whose identity has not been publicly released, had reportedly been employed by Flydubai for less than a year.
The method of attack, whether a knife brought aboard or an axe from the plane's equipment, remains unclear. Netanyahu also noted that Israel has regulations preventing pilots from countries with which it lacks diplomatic relations, such as Oman, from flying into the country, indicating a potential loophole was addressed following the incident.