A flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on September 30, 2026, after one pilot stabbed the other and allegedly attempted to crash the plane, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The pilot was arrested and is being questioned by Saudi authorities. The stabbed pilot, identified as Indian national Capt Smit Machchhar, was taken to a hospital after the flight landed and was later referred to as a "hero" by Netanyahu.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the incident as an "attempted jihadist terror attack." The BBC has not yet received official statements from police, emergency services, or investigators regarding any motive.
Flydubai's flight FZ1073 took off from Dubai International Airport at 03:05 GMT (07:05 local time) en route to Ben-Gurion Airport in Israel, carrying at least 150 people, with Netanyahu stating that "almost all" passengers were Israeli.
Data from flight tracking website Flightrader24 indicated a rapid descent for the plane over Saudi Arabia approximately two and a half hours after take-off, dropping more than 17,000 feet (over 5,000 meters) in less than two minutes at around 05:21. Minutes later, the plane signaled an emergency code - squawk 7700 - before switching to squawk 7500, indicating a hijacking.
At 05:40, the plane, which had briefly entered Jordanian airspace, looped back into Saudi Arabia and began its manual descent for landing. Less than an hour later, the plane returned to squawk 7700.
Initial local media reports cited Israeli officials stating that a fight had broken out between the two pilots. However, Netanyahu later confirmed that one pilot had stabbed the other before attempting to crash the plane. An Israeli passenger reported that the plane went into a spin and began to descend before he and a crew member managed to overpower the attacker.
The plane was diverted to Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, landing at 06:58. The stabbed pilot, who is in stable condition according to the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia, was identified as Capt Smit Machchhar. Netanyahu praised him as a "true hero" for saving the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals.
Passenger Yaniv Hayun described the incident, stating that he and others attempted to open the cockpit door, and that the stabbed pilot managed to open it before collapsing. Hayun recounted that the attacker was trying to disable the plane's instruments. He and other passengers subdued the attacker, tying him up with zip ties and multimedia headphones.
Another passenger, Zvika Meness, confirmed that they tied the attacker up. Various passengers described the chaotic scene, with one female passenger noting the stressful moment when they realized the plane was descending uncontrollably.
Following the incident, Israeli and Saudi Arabian air forces dispatched fighter jets, and Netanyahu held urgent consultations. He called the situation a "very serious security incident" and stated that Israeli security forces are in contact with relevant authorities to ensure passenger safety.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised Machchhar's actions, calling him a hero on social media and expressing pride in his bravery. Flydubai stated that an altercation occurred in the flight deck and that the flight was successfully secured by the crew. The airline sent two replacement aircraft to Tabuk to assist passengers and crew, and the incident did not impact other scheduled operations. A repatriation flight left Tabuk at 17:40 local time and arrived in Tel Aviv at around 18:40 local time.
A Flydubai spokesperson emphasized the priority of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all involved and supporting the official investigation. US President Donald Trump mentioned that he spoke with Netanyahu and suggested the attacker might be a terrorist or that other motives could be involved.