Tel Aviv-Bound Flight Averts Catastrophe After Battle in Cockpit

A flight operated by FlyDubai from Dubai to Tel Aviv narrowly avoided catastrophe after one of the pilots tried to stab his colleague, forcing the plane into a steep plunge and an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

(Bloomberg) -- A flight operated by FlyDubai from Dubai to Tel Aviv narrowly avoided catastrophe after one of the pilots tried to stab his colleague, forcing the plane into a steep plunge and an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. 

The sequence of events was laid out in a video message from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said the pilot who sought to stab the other wanted to crash the plane. His comments confirmed footage of the dramatic moments on board showing blood-soaked passengers and wounded pilots. 

Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia said earlier that it received a distress call from Flight FZ1073 at 8:44 a.m. local time requesting an emergency landing, with the aircraft touching down about an hour later. The airport said pilot and co-pilot were injured and have been transferred to a hospital. 

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The emergency landing of FlyDubai flight FZ1073 was triggered by a violent altercation in the cockpit between the captain and co-pilot, resulting in one pilot being stabbed and an urgent descent of the aircraft.

Captain Smit Machchhar is the Indian pilot of the FlyDubai flight who was stabbed by his co-pilot during the altercation and subsequently injured, requiring medical attention after an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

Passengers and crew members intervened when the aircraft began to dive, with an Israeli passenger and a crew member entering the cockpit to prevent further damage and assist the injured pilot.

The flight FZ1073 was able to land safely due to the quick actions of crew members and intervening passengers who took over flying the plane after the pilot was incapacitated from his injuries.

The incident has raised security concerns due to the violent nature of the cockpit altercation, the attempted crash, and the potential implications for flight safety protocols, prompting investigations by Israeli and Saudi authorities.

The unscheduled landing hundreds of miles from its planned destination followed a harrowing descent about two hours into the journey. The Boeing Co. 737 plummeted more than 14,000 feet (4,300 meters) from cruising altitude in less than 30 seconds, approaching the speed of sound. The aircraft then regained altitude and transmitted a general emergency distress signal, followed by a so-called unlawful interference call suggesting a possible hijacking, according to data from Flightradar24.

After briefly entering Jordanian airspace, the flight turned back 180 degrees before heading southwest toward Tabuk, the site said.

Unverified photos of the aircraft after it landed in Saudi Arabia showed the rudder on the vertical stabilizer missing — damage that can occur when flight surfaces are moved too aggressively at high speeds. 

Flydubai’s 737 MAX 8 planes generally seat about 174 people.

Tabuk is situated in northwestern Saudi Arabia, near the Jordan–Saudi Arabia border. Flydubai said its teams are working closely with the relevant authorities to consider the next steps. 

A spokesperson for Israel’s transportation ministry said Emirati authorities are working to repatriate the Israelis stranded in Saudi Arabia. Israeli Prime Minister’s office also said that “all measures are currently being deployed in order to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel.”

Plane hijackings have been increasingly rare in recent decades as governments developed international protocols and regulations to increase safety in the air. Israel has some of the strictest security measures for flights following a spate of attempted and realized hijackings in the 1970s.

Flydubai, the sister carrier of Emirates, started daily flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai in late 2020 with daily flights and has since ramped up operations to 70 weekly flights, according to the airline’s website. The United Arab Emirates has become a popular vacation destination for Israeli tourists.

--With assistance from Ethan Bronner, Dan Williams, Leen Al-Rashdan and Gerry Doyle.

(Updates with background throughout)

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