Pilot Stabbed in Mid-Air Attack Thwarted by British Passenger, Authorities Say

A Flydubai flight en route to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia after a pilot allegedly stabbed his co-pilot and attempted to crash the plane, according to passengers and Israeli officials. An off-duty British pilot and other passengers are credited with subduing the assailant and regaining control of the aircraft, preventing what some described as a potential terrorist attack.

The incident occurred on Flydubai flight FZ1073 traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Mid-flight, the aircraft dropped from an altitude of approximately 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in about one minute. Passengers reported hearing altercations in the cockpit, followed by the discovery that Captain Smit Machchhar had been stabbed. Passengers and crew members managed to enter the cockpit, overpower the alleged attacker, and stabilize the plane.

Amol Itali, a passenger interviewed by the BBC, stated that two relief pilots, one of whom was British, intervened. "The relief pilots are European, one of them British, who entered [the cockpit] and pulled the aircraft up, pulled the yoke, stabilised the plane and landed us in Saudi Arabia," Itali said.

The injured captain, Smit Machchhar, was praised for his actions in fighting off his attacker and attempting to maintain control of the aircraft. Distressing footage showed him with blood on his face. He was able to open the cockpit door before collapsing, allowing passengers to enter.

Israeli authorities considered the incident a potential terrorist attack. Defense Minister Israel Katz described it as an "attempted jihadist terror attack." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency security meeting and later announced that the assailant had been arrested and was being questioned by Saudi authorities. Netanyahu commended the passengers and crew for their "extraordinary resourcefulness and courage."

Data from Flightradar24 indicated the aircraft's rapid descent and subsequent stabilization, with the plane transmitting emergency codes. It initially signaled a general emergency (squawk code 7700) before briefly switching to a code indicating unlawful interference (7500), and then reverting to 7700. Israeli officials had scrambled warplanes amid fears the jet had been hijacked.

Passengers described a terrifying ordeal, with screams heard throughout the cabin as the plane descended. Some passengers expressed reluctance to board a replacement Flydubai aircraft, preferring an Israeli carrier.

The incident has prompted renewed security discussions, with officials drawing parallels to past hijacking events like the 1976 Entebbe hostage incident. The investigation into the motive and circumstances surrounding the alleged attack is ongoing.