Stabbed Pilot and Cockpit Fight Force flydubai Flight to Land in Saudi Arabia

Smit Machchhar, the pilot in command of a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was stabbed during a violent cockpit fight with his Omani co-pilot, forcing the plane to land safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Flight Chaos and Squawks

Flight FZ1073 departed Dubai International Airport at 3.05 am UTC with around 170 passengers on board. At 5.21 UTC, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 lost over 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds according to Al Jazeera, or over 17,400 feet in under two minutes by CNN's measure. The aircraft squawked 7700 for a general emergency at 5.31 UTC before switching to 7500 for a hijack signal seven minutes later. Israeli fighter jets were scrambled to fly alongside the aircraft as part of standard military interception protocols.

Passenger Actions

Passengers rushed to the cockpit amid chaos and alarm after hearing disturbances. An Israeli government spokesperson stated that the injured pilot Machchhar hit the cockpit door release from the floor, allowing passengers and crew to enter. Passenger Yaniv Hayoun told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he put the co-pilot in a chokehold, dragged him out of the cockpit, and grabbed the controls. Another passenger, dentist Dr Shota Musaev, tied the attacker up using headphone cords and plastic zip ties before treating the wounded captain. A second set of on-duty pilots aboard the flight then took control and landed the plane in Tabuk, where the passengers were later flown home in another aircraft.

Official Reactions and Probe

Israel's defence minister Israel Katz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it an attempted jihadist terrorist attack and stated the co-pilot tried to crash the plane. flydubai has not confirmed these motives and noted that reasons remain unknown at this time. Netanyahu also met passenger Yaniv Hayoun and called him a lion. UAE authorities will lead the investigation into the incident.

Context

Commercial aircraft transponder codes like 7700 and 7500 are standard international distress signals used by flight crews to instantly alert air traffic controllers on the ground to emergencies or unlawful interference. When such signals are received, air traffic control, regional militaries, and aviation authorities follow strict multi-step safety protocols to isolate airspace and protect populated areas. Investigations into major in-flight security incidents typically involve the civil aviation authorities of the airline's home country and the nations directly involved in the flight path.