Flydubai plane lands safely after cockpit attack, pilot praised as hero

UPDATE - follow-up to Pilot attacked in flydubai altercation Indian: Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian ex‑SpiceJet pilot, was stabbed during a cockpit fight on flydubai flight FZ 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on 30 Sept 2026. On‑duty crew overpowered the attacker, secured the aircraft and diverted it to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, where it landed without injury to any passenger or crew. Flydubai confirmed all 174 people on board were safe and that flights to and from Israel are suspended pending a formal probe. The airline said the motives behind the altercation are still unknown and will be investigated. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Machchhar’s bravery, saying his actions saved hundreds of lives. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh reported that Machchhar is hospitalized in Tabuk city, in stable condition, and that officials are monitoring his recovery and assisting his family. ## Context The incident highlights ongoing security concerns for flights operating in the volatile Middle‑East corridor and has led to a temporary halt of Israel‑bound services by flydubai.