FZ1073 Flydubai Flight Incident Video and Onboard

A Flydubai passenger flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after one pilot allegedly stabbed another inside the cockpit and then apparently attempted to interfere with the aircraft’s controls, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The dramatic incident unfolded aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was carrying at least 150 people and was flying toward Israel when the situation developed over Saudi Arabian airspace. The aircraft eventually landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where the alleged attacker was arrested and the injured pilot was taken to hospital.

Israeli officials described the incident as a serious security event. Defence Minister Israel Katz called it an “attempted jihadist terror attack,” although authorities had not publicly established a motive. The BBC reported that it had not received official statements from Saudi police, emergency services or investigators confirming the circumstances or motive behind the incident.

Flight Suddenly Descends Over Saudi Arabia and Video

Flight FZ1073 departed Dubai International Airport at 03:05 GMT, or 07:05 local time, bound for Ben-Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.

FZ1073 Flydubai Full Video

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According to flight-tracking data, the Boeing aircraft initially followed its planned route northwest across Saudi Arabia. Around two and a half hours after departure, however, the aircraft underwent a dramatic descent.

Flight-tracking information showed the plane dropping more than 17,000 feet, or approximately 5,000 metres, in less than two minutes at around 05:21 GMT.

Shortly afterward, the aircraft transmitted an emergency squawk code, 7700, indicating a general emergency. Minutes later, the transponder changed to squawk 7500, the internationally recognized code used to indicate a hijacking or unlawful interference with an aircraft.

The aircraft briefly entered Jordanian airspace before turning back toward Saudi Arabia. At approximately 05:40, it looped back into Saudi territory and began preparing for a diversion.

The plane ultimately landed at Tabuk Airport at approximately 06:58 GMT.

The sudden change in flight path and emergency signals initially led to reports that a fight had broken out between the two pilots.

Later, Netanyahu provided a much more serious account.

Israeli Prime Minister Says One Pilot Attacked Another

Speaking after the incident, Netanyahu said one pilot had stabbed the other and “apparently tried to crash the plane.”

The injured pilot was identified as Indian national Captain Smit Machchhar. According to India’s embassy in Saudi Arabia, Machchhar was in stable condition after being taken to hospital.

Netanyahu later praised Machchhar as a hero, saying his actions helped save the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other passengers.

According to Netanyahu’s account, an Israeli passenger told him that the aircraft suddenly went into a spin and began descending. The situation became so serious that a passenger and a member of the cabin crew attempted to gain access to the cockpit.

They eventually overpowered the pilot accused of carrying out the stabbing.

The precise sequence of events inside the cockpit remains subject to investigation, and officials have not publicly released a full reconstruction of what happened.

Passengers Describe Moments of Panic

Passengers aboard the flight described scenes of confusion and fear as the aircraft began losing altitude.

Passenger Yaniv Hayun, who was later praised by Netanyahu, said passengers attempted to open the cockpit door after realizing something was seriously wrong.

According to Hayun, the injured pilot was close to the cockpit entrance. Before collapsing, he managed to open the door, allowing passengers to enter.

Hayun said he saw the other pilot attempting to damage equipment inside the cockpit.

He then intervened, putting the attacker in a chokehold and pulling him away from the controls while other passengers helped restrain him.

Hayun also described taking hold of the aircraft’s controls during the emergency.

He reportedly told Netanyahu that he had watched the television documentary series Air Crash Investigation, which gave him some familiarity with aircraft emergencies.

Hayun said he pulled the controls and observed the aircraft beginning to level out before another pilot took control.

Another passenger, Zvika Meness, told Israeli public broadcaster Kan News that passengers restrained the alleged attacker using zip ties and multimedia headphones.

“There are children and families here who have been through a very severe, highly traumatic event,” Meness said.

Other passengers gave similarly alarming accounts.

Yasmin Abukasis told Reuters that her daughter, who was on the flight, described seeing a man holding a knife and forcing one of the pilots onto the floor.

Her daughter reportedly heard screaming and saw blood inside the aircraft.

Abukasis said her daughter told her that the aircraft began losing control, prompting passengers to fear that the plane was about to crash.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Abukasis said her daughter described passengers moving toward the man with the knife while other pilots took control of the aircraft.

One female passenger told Israel Hayom that the situation became extremely stressful when passengers realized the aircraft was descending.

“There are people here with shirts covered in blood,” she said, adding that the passengers were eventually safe and wanted to return home.

Fighter Jets Scrambled After Emergency

The incident also prompted a significant security response.

Israeli and Saudi Arabian air forces reportedly dispatched fighter jets after the aircraft declared an emergency while flying toward Israel.

The incident was particularly sensitive because the flight was carrying a large number of Israeli passengers and was approaching Israeli airspace when the emergency unfolded.

Netanyahu described the episode as a “very serious security incident.”

He said Israeli security forces were maintaining close contact with relevant authorities to ensure the continued safety of the passengers.

“I salute these heroes who demonstrated extraordinary resourcefulness and courage,” Netanyahu said, according to his office. “They saved many lives and prevented a major disaster.”

The Israeli prime minister specifically praised the passengers and crew members who intervened during the emergency.

India Praises Captain Machchhar

The actions of Captain Smit Machchhar also drew praise from Indian officials.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the pilot as a hero in a statement posted on X.

“His valour helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy. India is proud of Captain Machchhar,” Modi wrote.

The Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia confirmed that Machchhar was receiving medical treatment and was in stable condition.

His identification as an Indian national brought additional attention to the incident in India, where officials were closely monitoring his condition and supporting efforts involving the investigation.

Flydubai Confirms Cockpit Altercation

Flydubai confirmed that an altercation had occurred inside the aircraft’s flight deck but did not immediately provide all the details described by Israeli officials and passengers.

In a statement, the airline said the flight was “successfully secured” by on-duty Flydubai crew members who were traveling on the aircraft.

The crew diverted the plane to Tabuk Airport, where it landed safely.

Flydubai subsequently sent two replacement aircraft to Tabuk to transport passengers and crew.

The airline said the incident did not affect its other scheduled operations.

The repatriation flight carrying the passengers departed Tabuk at approximately 17:40 local time and arrived in Tel Aviv at around 18:40.

The airline said its immediate priority was the safety, health and wellbeing of everyone involved while it supported the official investigation.

Motive Remains Unclear

Despite the dramatic circumstances, the motive behind the alleged attack remains unclear.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz characterized the incident as an “attempted jihadist terror attack,” but no publicly available investigation had established such a motive at the time of the initial reports.

US President Donald Trump also commented on the incident after speaking with Netanyahu. Trump said the attacker appeared to be “perhaps a terrorist,” while also acknowledging that there could be other explanations.

Those statements remain descriptions or assessments by political leaders rather than a confirmed finding from investigators.

Saudi authorities are questioning the arrested pilot, and the investigation is expected to examine what happened inside the cockpit, why the alleged attack occurred, how control of the aircraft was affected and whether the incident was planned.

Investigators will also need to examine flight data, cockpit communications, witness accounts and the aircraft’s emergency signals to establish a detailed timeline.

Passengers Eventually Return to Israel

After the aircraft landed in Tabuk, passengers remained in Saudi Arabia while arrangements were made to transport them onward.

The successful landing brought an end to an extraordinary emergency that had begun thousands of feet above the ground and involved a reported assault inside the cockpit.

For the passengers, however, the psychological impact is likely to remain significant. Several described moments when they believed the aircraft was losing control and feared that they might not survive.

The incident also highlighted the importance of crew procedures and passenger intervention during an extreme aviation emergency.

The aircraft’s diversion, the actions of the surviving flight crew and the intervention of passengers ultimately allowed the flight to land safely.

The full circumstances surrounding the cockpit confrontation remain under investigation. Until Saudi and aviation authorities release further findings, important questions remain unanswered about the alleged attack, the actions of the pilots and the reason the aircraft was placed in such a dangerous situation.

For now, the immediate outcome is that the passengers reached safety, Captain Machchhar was reported to be stable, and the suspected attacker was taken into custody in Saudi Arabia.