Pilot Arrested After Stabbing Incident on Flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv

A pilot has been arrested after allegedly stabbing the other pilot on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv and reportedly attempting to crash the plane, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Passengers and crew members overpowered the attacker and regained control of the Flydubai aircraft, which landed safely at an airport in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia, with more than 170 people on board. The passengers, primarily Israeli, arrived later on Wednesday in Tel Aviv on a repatriation flight. The stabbed pilot, identified as Indian national Captain Smit Machchhar, was taken to the hospital and is reported to be in stable condition. Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Machchhar for his actions, describing him as a hero. Netanyahu stated that despite being seriously injured, Machchhar fought back, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to subdue the attacker, thereby preventing a potential disaster. The Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia confirmed Machchhar's stable condition. No motive for the incident has been disclosed, and the attacker is under investigation in Saudi Arabia. Netanyahu indicated that Israel would likely assist in the investigation. U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned that he had spoken with Netanyahu regarding the incident, suggesting the attacker might be a terrorist. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz referred to the incident as an attempted jihadist terror attack, although he did not provide further details. Flydubai's flight FZ1073 took off from Dubai International Airport at 03:05 GMT (07:05 local time) and experienced a rapid descent over Saudi Arabia approximately two and a half hours into the flight, dropping more than 17,000 feet in less than two minutes. The aircraft signaled an emergency code and later reported a hijacking. Following the incident, Israeli and Saudi Arabian air forces dispatched fighter jets. Initial reports indicated a fight between the pilots, but later accounts confirmed that one pilot had stabbed the other. Eyewitnesses reported that the plane went into a spin before passengers and crew entered the cockpit and subdued the attacker. Netanyahu described the situation as a serious security incident and stated that Israeli security forces are in contact with relevant authorities to ensure passenger safety. Flydubai released a statement confirming that an altercation occurred in the cockpit and that the flight was secured by on-duty crew members. The passengers arrived in Tel Aviv around 18:40 local time (15:40 GMT) and were welcomed by crowds at the airport. Some passengers expressed emotional reactions upon disembarking, recounting their experiences during the incident.