Report: Crew, Israeli Passengers Subdue Pilot Attempting to Crash Dubai–Tel Aviv Flight

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A major tragedy was narrowly averted when the crew and Israeli passengers reportedly subdued a pilot attempting to crash a flight bound for Tel Aviv.

The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia with 174 passengers, most of them Israeli citizens, safely on board. “A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children, landed in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a physical altercation between the pilots triggered an emergency signal that initially raised fears of a hijacking and prompted Israel to scramble fighter jets,” Israel’s Ynetnews reported Wednesday morning.

The wounded pilot, who courageously fought off the attacker, was identified as Dubai-based, Indian-origin Capt. Smit Machchhar.

The incident, which is being treated by Israeli authorities as a potential terrorist attack, was averted thanks to the courageous actions of the crew and Israeli passengers who successfully overpowered the rogue pilot. “An Israeli passenger on board has told journalists the crew asked for help and that passengers then helped tackle one of the pilots and tie him down,” BBC reported.

The attacker reportedly stabbed his co-pilot and nosedived the plane in an apparent attempt to crash it. “According to Israeli officials, shortly after entering Jordanian airspace, the Omani co-pilot stabbed the … pilot and attempted to take control of the plane by force,” the Israeli TV channel i24NEWS reported. “During the altercation, the pilot transmitted a general emergency signal and then another emergency signal that indicated possible hijacking, as the aircraft was diverted towards Saudi Arabia and plunged 14,000 feet (approximately 4,200 meters) in a single minute.

Initial reports suggest two passengers, both off-duty pilots, landed the plane after the pilot suffered stab wounds.

A video circulating on X shows a pilot’s blood-soaked uniform as he receives first aid on board the aircraft.

The Jerusalem Post covered the details of the incident:

A flydubai commercial passenger aircraft flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to and landed in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday morning after what Israeli officials said was an attempted hijacking by one of the pilots that led to a mid-air altercation.

An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post a “major disaster was narrowly avoided” amid growing fears that one of the pilots attempted to hijack the plane with the intention of crashing it into the ground. Additional flight crew, aided by Israelis on board the flight, managed to subdue the pilot and bring him under control, the official told the Post.

The growing assessment among the Israeli security establishment, including the IDF, Mossad, and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), is that the incident was intended as an act of terror.

During the altercation, the aircraft plunged approximately 4,000 meters in altitude, the official noted.

The aircraft, operating as flight FZ1073 and carrying over 100 Israeli passengers, initially transmitted squawk code 7700, indicating a general emergency, before switching to 7500, which signals unlawful interference, and later reverting to the initial code.

As the incident unfolded, the Israel Air Force (IAF) scrambled fighter jets in preparation for a possible emergency and raised its alert level, Walla reported. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had convened a security meeting with defense officials, the Post learned.

The Israeli Air Force responded to the incident by scrambling fighter jets and briefly closing the country’s airspace. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that its “Chief of the General Staff conducted a situational assessment in recent minutes with the Commander of the Israeli Air Force, the Head of the Operations Directorate, the Head of Military Intelligence, and additional commanders.”

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