TD New details have emerged about the extraordinary mid-air incident aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073.
The was forced to divert to Saudi Arabia after an alleged attack by the Omani co-pilot left the captain seriously injured and sent the aircraft into a rapid descent.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026, carrying 174 people, when a violent confrontation erupted in the cockpit.
Flydubai has confirmed that an incident occurred during the flight and that the aircraft landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, with all passengers and crew safe and accounted for.
The airline has urged against premature conclusions, saying the causes and motives remain subject to official investigation.
Flydubai FZ1073 Aircraft plunged nearly 14,000 feet
Flight-tracking data cited by Reuters showed that the aircraft dropped almost 14,000 feet in less than a minute during the incident.
Other flight-tracking data put the aircraft’s lowest recorded altitude at approximately 16,600 feet, after it had been cruising at around 34,000 feet.
The aircraft subsequently recovered and was diverted to Tabuk, where it landed safely.
The aircraft also transmitted emergency signals, including the international 7500 code for unlawful interference, which initially raised fears of a hijacking.
However, the available evidence indicates that the crisis originated inside the cockpit rather than from an outside hijacker.
Captain stabbed, cockpit door opened
Israeli officials said the co-pilot attacked and stabbed the captain during the confrontation.
The captain was identified as Smit Machchhar, an Indian national.
According to accounts given by Israeli officials and passengers, Machchhar was seriously injured.
He, however, managed to activate the cockpit-door release while on the floor, allowing passengers to enter the cockpit.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu subsequently praised Machchhar, saying his actions helped prevent a catastrophic outcome.
Machchhar has since undergone surgery in Saudi Arabia and was reported to be in stable condition.
Flydubai FZ1073 Passenger Yaniv Hayoun describes intervention
One of the passengers who intervened was Yaniv Hayoun, an Israeli plumber.
Hayoun said he entered the cockpit after the injured captain opened the door and found one pilot on the floor and the other near the controls.
He said he grabbed the alleged attacker, placed him in a chokehold and pulled him away from the cockpit.
Hayoun then returned to the cockpit and said he pulled back on the aircraft’s controls as the aircraft was still descending.
Two off-duty Flydubai pilots travelling as passengers subsequently took control of the aircraft, according to accounts reported by Reuters and other outlets.
Hayoun later recounted the incident to Netanyahu after passengers returned to Israel.
Other passengers rushed to help
Several other passengers and crew members reportedly became involved in the effort to restrain the attacker and assist the wounded captain.
Among those identified in media reports are Dr. Shota Musaev, a dentist who treated the injured captain, and Asaf Rajuan, who was also reported to have helped overpower the attacker.
Accounts differ on the precise sequence of events, and investigators have yet to publish a definitive reconstruction.
What is established is that passengers and crew intervened, the aircraft was brought under control and the flight landed safely in Tabuk.
Flydubai FZ1073 Co-pilot arrested in Saudi Arabia
The alleged attacker was arrested after the aircraft landed in Saudi Arabia and was being questioned by Saudi authorities, according to Israeli officials.
The suspect is an Omani national.
The motive remains a central question in the investigation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has subsequently alleged that the co-pilot had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination.
Netanyahu described the incident as an attempted attack.
Those claims have not yet been established as the final finding of an investigation.
Reuters reported that the UAE has launched an investigation into whether terrorism or prior planning was involved.
Flydubai, meanwhile, has stressed that the reasons and motives behind the cockpit incident remain unknown and will have to be established through the official investigation.
Multiple investigations launched
The incident is now the subject of investigations involving several authorities.
The United Arab Emirates has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, including whether terrorism or premeditation played a role.
Saudi authorities are also involved because the aircraft landed in Tabuk and the alleged attacker was taken into custody there.
Israeli authorities are investigating the incident from the perspective of the security threat to the predominantly Israeli passenger group.
The investigations are also expected to examine how the alleged attacker passed pilot screening and security procedures and whether there were any warning signs before the flight.
Flydubai FZ1073 Passengers safely returned to Israel
Following the emergency landing, replacement aircraft were sent to Tabuk to transport the passengers and crew.
The passengers subsequently returned safely to Israel.
Netanyahu said all passengers were out of danger after the aircraft landed and praised those who intervened during the crisis.
Meanwhile, Flydubai has suspended its flights between Dubai and Israel following the incident while investigations continue.
The airline has said its priority is the safety and wellbeing of passengers and crew.
It stated that it will provide further information as confirmed facts become available.
Netanyahu praises Captain Machchhar
Netanyahu publicly praised Captain Machchhar for his role in the incident.
The Israeli prime minister described the Indian captain as a hero, saying that despite being seriously injured, he resisted the attack.
He noted that Machchhar helped make it possible for passengers and crew to intervene.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also praised Machchhar for his courage during the incident.
Machchhar has since confirmed that his health is now out of danger, and that he is recovering well.
What is confirmed — and what remains under investigation
The dramatic incident has generated numerous accounts on social media, some of which describe the event as a confirmed terrorist hijacking.
However, the terminology requires caution.
It is confirmed that:
- there was a serious cockpit confrontation,
- that the captain was injured,
- that the aircraft experienced a dramatic descent,
- that passengers and crew intervened, and,
- that the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk.
The alleged co-pilot was arrested and is being investigated.
However, the following have not yet been conclusively established by the investigation:
- the precise motive,
- whether the incident was terrorism-related,
- whether it was premeditated, and,
- the alleged attacker’s ideological background.
Flydubai has specifically called for restraint against premature speculation.
The incident is therefore more accurately described at this stage as an alleged cockpit attack and attempted crash.
It cannot readily simply be described as an externally initiated hijacking.
