Indian Pilot Averts Potential 9/11-Style Attack on Flydubai Flight, Netanyahu Orders Security Probe

TEL AVIV, Oct 1: An Indian pilot and passengers aboard a flydubai flight helped prevent a potentially catastrophic incident after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to interfere with the aircraft’s controls, according to Israeli officials and passenger accounts.

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday when the confrontation occurred as the aircraft neared Israel. The crew diverted the plane to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely following the struggle inside the cockpit.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry identified the injured captain as Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, and praised his actions during the emergency. According to the ministry, Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door after being attacked, enabling passengers and crew members to enter and restrain the alleged assailant.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the incident raised concerns about a possible attempt to deliberately crash the aircraft. He said he had directed Israel’s security establishment to prepare for any further threats while authorities examined what had happened.

Israeli security agencies are investigating whether the episode had any connection to terrorism or whether the co-pilot acted independently. No definitive motive has been established.

An Israeli official familiar with the incident said the country’s Air Force detected unusual activity after the aircraft deviated from its expected route and began descending rapidly. Initial attempts to establish communication with the plane reportedly received no response.

The situation became more serious when an emergency transmission indicated a possible hijacking. Israeli authorities temporarily moved to close their airspace and scrambled fighter aircraft as a precaution.

The Israeli jets remained within the country’s airspace after it became apparent that the flydubai aircraft had turned towards Saudi Arabia. Saudi fighter jets were also deployed after the plane entered the country’s airspace.

The official said the most critical developments unfolded within approximately two to three minutes, while the confrontation itself lasted around 15 minutes, according to media reports.

Passenger accounts provided further details about the incident. Miryam Shira Ohayon said the aircraft suddenly dropped several times and appeared unstable before the situation was brought under control.

Ohayon told CBS that the co-pilot allegedly tried to overpower the captain and interfere with the flight, describing the episode as an apparent attempt to cause the aircraft to crash. She said passengers and crew members eventually restrained him.

Another passenger, Asaf Rajuan, was also credited with helping subdue the alleged attacker. Two off-duty pilots travelling aboard the aircraft subsequently assisted in managing the flight.

In a video recorded after the co-pilot was restrained, Rajuan called for assistance and said the aircraft had landed in the Tabuk area. He said the passengers were safe but that the captain required medical attention.

The aircraft landed at Tabuk, where a civilian airport operates near a Saudi military facility. The injured captain and another crew member received medical treatment. Saudi authorities said two crew members were hospitalised with injuries, although further details were not immediately available.

Netanyahu said the alleged attacker’s motive had not been established. He referred to accounts that the man had attempted to obstruct equipment located between the pilot seats rather than properly operate the aircraft.

The alleged attacker was arrested in Saudi Arabia and was being questioned by local authorities, Netanyahu said. An Omani official said the man was born in Oman and was an Omani citizen.

The incident prompted comparisons with the September 11, 2001, attacks because of concerns that a commercial aircraft could potentially have been used as a weapon. Israeli authorities are examining the circumstances, but there has been no final determination that the episode was a terrorist operation.

flydubai has also avoided describing the incident as terrorism or a confirmed hijacking. The airline said an altercation had taken place in the flight deck and that its crew successfully secured the aircraft before diverting it to Saudi Arabia.

The airline said all passengers and crew members were safe and accounted for and that a replacement aircraft had been arranged to take them onward to Israel.

The flight later resumed its journey and reached Tel Aviv shortly before 8 p.m. local time. Passengers were met by relatives at Ben Gurion Airport following the unexpected diversion.

The incident occurred against a backdrop of heightened security concerns in Israel amid continuing regional military tensions. The sudden change in the aircraft’s flight path, rapid descent and emergency transmission prompted the Israeli military response even as authorities worked to establish what had happened inside the cockpit.

Investigators are expected to determine the circumstances of the confrontation, the co-pilot’s actions and the motive behind the alleged attack.