Attacker's identity and motive unknown after flydubai flight to Israel escapes disaster after pilot stabbed

The identity and motive of the Omani copilot who stabbed his captain on a flight to Israel, causing the plane to plummet dangerously and forcing it to land in Saudi Arabia, remained unknown on Thursday as investigators raced to learn more.

Israeli passengers on the flydubai flight carrying 174 people from the United Arab Emirates to the Israeli city of Tel Aviv have described how the bloodied Indian captain managed to open the cockpit door to let them in before they grappled with the copilot and stabilised a descent so sharp that the plane’s rudder was torn away.

“We felt helpless, suspended in midair and I didn’t know who to turn to. But it was all instinct to survive,” one of the responders, Asaf Rajuan, said in a new statement shared by Israel’s presidency.

Saudi and UAE authorities have said little publicly beyond confirming that investigations were underway. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the copilot was arrested.

Captain Smit Machchhar, widely praised as another hero of the flight, was reportedly in stable condition, the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said overnight.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Machchhar as a "HERO" in comments on Thursday.

"In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others," Modi said.

"His valour helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy. India is proud of Captain Machchhar. Praying for his speedy recovery, renewed strength and good health."

The condition of the arrested copilot was not clear.

In a CNN interview aired on Wednesday evening, Netanyahu said the attacker was an Omani national and was being interrogated in Saudi Arabia.

US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he and Netanyahu discussed the incident “at length” over the phone and that it seemed as though the copilot “was perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack job."

Netanyahu said he spoke with the UAE’s president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who agreed that Israel would join the interrogation of the suspect.

Israel’s foreign ministry said the people on board were from Israel, India and the UAE. The US State Department said four passengers had American citizenship.

Flydubai has said its flights to and from Israel would be suspended while an investigation takes place.

Netanyahu had warned in recent days of unspecified, heightened security threats.

The country is a week away from the anniversary of the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza.

In the chaos that unfolded about two and a half hours after leaving Dubai, the flight descended from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in about a minute, before making an erratic circle close to the Jordanian border and landing in the Saudi city of Tabuk about an hour later, according to Flightradar24, which identified the aircraft as a Boeing 737 Max 8.

A person who heard the flight’s communications with air traffic control described the plane being turned away by Saudi Arabia and Jordan before eventually landing in Tabuk, while passengers screamed in the background.

The pilot’s voice was trembling as he called “mayday” and said a hijacking was taking place.

The air control operators gave no reason for the refusals. The person who heard the communications spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Thursday he would present "heroism" awards to four Israelis who helped overpower a flydubai co-pilot and prevented him from crashing the plane they were on.

"You put yourselves at risk to save others and prevented a terrible disaster. Today, the whole world saw the beautiful and courageous face of Israeli society," Herzog, who holds a largely ceremonial role, said in a statement.