Jerusalem/Dubai: Indian pilot Smit Machchhar has been praised for his actions after an alleged cockpit attack forced a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
Machchhar, the captain of flight FZ1073, was seriously injured after his co-pilot allegedly stabbed him and attempted to take control of the aircraft, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu described Machchhar as a “true hero”, saying the captain managed to open the cockpit door despite his injuries, allowing passengers and crew to enter and overpower the attacker.
The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said Machchhar is being treated at a hospital in Tabuk and is reported to be in stable condition. The embassy said it was in contact with his family and Saudi authorities.
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. 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. We hope that he recovers from his injuries at the earliest. We are in touch with his family and assure them that we will continue to follow up on his health with Saudi authorities and extend all possible assistance for his wellbeing.@MEAIndia
— India in Saudi Arabia (@IndianEmbRiyadh) September 30, 2026
According to PTI, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Indian Consulate in Jeddah are monitoring his condition and providing assistance.
How the flight was brought under control
The aircraft was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv when an altercation between the two pilots broke out in the cockpit.
Netanyahu said one pilot stabbed the other and apparently tried to crash the aircraft. The flight then lost altitude rapidly before diverting to Tabuk in north-west Saudi Arabia.
AP reported that the aircraft dropped from about 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in roughly a minute. The flight later circled near the Jordanian border before landing safely at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Airport.
According to Reuters, Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayun said he ran towards the cockpit as the aircraft was diving. He said passengers pulled the alleged attacker away and then helped take control of the aircraft.
Netanyahu’s spokesperson said the injured captain, despite being covered in blood, managed to release the cockpit door before collapsing, allowing passengers and crew to enter.
Other crew members and pilots on board subsequently helped stabilise and land the aircraft.
What Trump said about the intervention
US President Donald Trump also praised the pilot and described the intervention by a passenger as extraordinary.
Trump said he had spoken to Netanyahu, who told him that an Israeli passenger, described as a plumber with no flying experience, entered the cockpit and helped restrain the co-pilot.
What is known about the attack
flydubai confirmed that the aircraft had experienced an in-flight “altercation” and was safely diverted to Tabuk.
The airline said the reasons and motives behind the incident were not yet known and that a formal investigation was under way. It also urged against premature speculation.
Tabuk airport authorities said both the captain and first officer were injured and taken to hospital.
Israeli authorities initially feared a possible hijacking and scrambled fighter jets as the aircraft descended and diverted towards Saudi Arabia.
According to flight-tracking data cited by BBC Verify in the supplied reports, the aircraft had been cruising at around 34,000 feet before descending more than 17,000 feet in less than two minutes. The aircraft also transmitted emergency signals, including one associated with possible unlawful interference.
Saudi authorities arrested the co-pilot accused of carrying out the stabbing, according to Netanyahu.
Passengers return to Israel
The aircraft was carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children, according to the PTI report provided.
After landing in Tabuk, passengers were assisted at the airport and later returned to Israel on a flydubai rescue flight.
Israeli officials said passengers and crew had managed to prevent a potentially catastrophic outcome. Defence Minister Israel Katz described the incident as an attempted “jihadist terrorist attack”, but the airline has said that the underlying reasons and motives remain unknown pending investigation.
The incident is therefore still subject to competing accounts and an official investigation. The available reports establish that the aircraft made an emergency landing after an altercation in the cockpit, but the precise motive behind the attack and several details of how the cockpit was accessed remain under investigation.
(With inputs from PTI | AP | Reuters)
