FlyDubai pilot stabs fellow pilot, attempts to crash plane, Netanyahu says

Israel plans to strengthen security checks on every pilot flying into the country, including those operating foreign airlines, after the attack aboard a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight, a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office told Reuters.

“Every pilot that is going to be flying into Israel, we are going to know the pilots' identities, know who they are, and do some type of security check,” spokesman Doron Spielman said.

Netanyahu instructed authorities to ramp up security on flights operated by both Israeli and foreign carriers, according to Spielman.

Israeli officials said the FlyDubai co-pilot stabbed the captain and attempted to crash the aircraft before passengers helped subdue him. Other pilots aboard landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi authorities arrested and interrogated the co-pilot, Netanyahu said. The motive remained unclear, and FlyDubai cautioned against “premature speculation.”

Fox News’ Lauren Sennet contributed to this report.

Passengers aboard the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight were just seconds from catastrophe before a father helped pull the aircraft out of its dive, Netanyahu spokesman Doron Spielman told Fox News’ “The Story.”

Spielman said the passenger, a plumber returning from a family trip, reached the cockpit and pulled a lever after recognizing what to do from watching television.

“We're talking probably a range of three seconds,” Spielman said, describing the difference between celebrating the rescue and planning funerals.

He also credited the stabbed captain with apparently using his foot to activate the switch that unlocked the cockpit door, allowing passengers to intervene.

“What is not up for investigation is the bravery of the people on this plane,” Spielman said. “They are heroes in Israel.”

Spielman said investigators were examining the co-pilot’s motive and whether he acted alone. The suspect remained in Saudi Arabia, and Israel would participate in the investigation, he said.

Israeli leaders were also reviewing security for Israeli and foreign airlines carrying Israelis during the holiday travel season.

“We will get to the bottom of this,” Spielman said.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry credited an Indian captain, Israeli passengers and Emirati crew members with joining forces to save 174 lives aboard FlyDubai Flight 1073.

Capt. Smit Machchhar fought back after being stabbed in the cockpit and unlocked the door despite severe injuries, allowing passengers and crew to intervene, the ministry said on X.

“This man is a hero,” the ministry wrote. “Together, their extraordinary courage saved 174 lives.”

The ministry highlighted the nationalities of those who helped stop the attacker aboard the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight.

“Indian. Israeli. Emirati. Different nationalities. One extraordinary act of courage,” it wrote.

It also wished Machchhar “a full and speedy recovery.”

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee praised passengers aboard the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight after their safe return to Israel, saying their actions averted a catastrophe.

“We thank God and breathe a deep sigh of relief that the passengers of Fly Dubai FZ1073 are now safely in Israel,” Huckabee wrote on X. “Their heroism in the face of terror averted catastrophe.”

Huckabee also reaffirmed American support for Israel.

“Israel endures because its people refuse to surrender,” he wrote. “And tonight we are even more proud to call this extraordinary nation our true partner.”

FlyDubai is suspending flights to and from Israel while authorities investigate the attack aboard flight FZ 1073, an airline spokesperson said.

The airline said it coordinated the decision with relevant authorities following Wednesday’s incident on the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight.

“This temporary suspension will allow the relevant authorities to continue their work and establish all the facts surrounding the incident,” the spokesperson said.

FlyDubai said it is supporting the investigation and will review the suspension as more information becomes available. It did not announce a date for flights to resume.

The airline apologized to affected passengers and said it is working to provide support and alternative travel arrangements where possible.

Fox News’ Yonat Friling contributed to this report.

An Israeli father rushed the cockpit to save his wife and children as a suspected hijacking unfolded aboard their Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight, Israeli journalist Neria Kraus told “America Reports.”

Kraus said passenger Yaniv Chayon heard screams and felt the aircraft plunge before confronting the co-pilot, who was allegedly stabbing the captain.

“He was fighting him. He was choking him,” Kraus said, recounting her conversations with passengers.

The wounded captain opened the cockpit door, allowing Chayon to intervene, she said. Other passengers and another pilot aboard helped regain control, then used headphone wires to restrain the attacker.

Kraus said Chayon had served as a cook in the Israel Defense Forces.

“He was not a fighter,” she said. “But yet, he saw his wife and children. And he said, ‘I’m going to fight for their lives.’”

Chayon also told Kraus that watching an air crash investigation program helped him know what to do.

The Indian pilot praised for helping prevent a catastrophe aboard the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight is hospitalized in Saudi Arabia and reportedly in stable condition, India’s embassy in Riyadh said.

Capt. Smit Machchhar is receiving medical attention at a hospital in Tabuk, where the aircraft made an emergency landing.

“A full update on his health is awaited but he is reported to be in stable condition,” the embassy wrote on X.

Indian diplomats said they are in contact with his family and working with Saudi authorities to monitor his recovery and provide assistance.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier praised Machchhar as a “true hero,” saying he fought back despite serious stab wounds and opened the cockpit door so passengers and crew could overpower the attacker.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the captain of the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight as a “true hero,” saying he fought back despite serious stab wounds and helped prevent a midair catastrophe.

“Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker,” Netanyahu wrote on X.

Netanyahu identified the Indian pilot as Capt. Smit Machchhar and credited him with saving 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals.

“I wish Captain Machchhar a speedy and full recovery,” Netanyahu wrote. “He is a true hero.”

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., called the attack aboard a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight a “clear act of terrorism” and praised passengers who intervened.

“I’m relieved that every passenger made it home safe tonight,” Moskowitz wrote on X. “This was a clear act of terrorism by a madman who tried to hijack a plane to kill innocent people and attack the state of Israel.”

“The passengers who stepped in to save the lives of everyone onboard deserve our full praise,” he added.

Israeli officials said the co-pilot stabbed the pilot and tried to crash the aircraft before passengers subdued him. The plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia.

Moskowitz also offered prayers for the injured pilot, wishing him “a speedy recovery.”

The New York Times drew fierce backlash for describing the suspected attack aboard a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight as an “altercation between pilots,” then hit back at “activists and partisans.”

A Community Note attached to its X post challenged the wording, saying the co-pilot stabbed the captain and attempted to take over the aircraft before passengers subdued him.

“Unlike activists and partisans, we don't publish speculation or unverified information,” the Times wrote in response, saying it reports facts as they are confirmed.

Critics weren’t buying it.

Libs of TikTok accused the newspaper of being in “FULL damage control mode” and called its explanation “Pathetic.”

“F off,” sports commentator Doug Gottlieb wrote.

Actor James Woods accused left-leaning media of describing a “terrorist hijacking attempt” as an “incident in the cockpit.”

“You don’t hate the media enough,” conservative commentator Benny Johnson added.

Israeli officials said the co-pilot stabbed the pilot and tried to crash the aircraft. Flydubai said the cause remained unknown and warned against premature speculation.

The attacker aboard a FlyDubai flight has been taken into custody, U.S. officials told Fox News on Wednesday.

The officials said the attacker was taken into custody when the flight landed in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, Fox News correspondent David Spunt asked U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche about the incident during a separate Department of Justice press conference.

“It's very active,” Blanche said of the incident. “There's active investigations going on in Israel and elsewhere. We're coordinating very closely with our counterparts overseas.”

“It would be, I think, inappropriate for me to talk, to speculate beyond what's already being said by the folks over there, but just to be sure, we're in we have we have a great relationship with Israel and we've been coordinating with them since this happened and will continue to do so,” he continued.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier told Reuters that the suspect was arrested after the plane made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, while an Israeli official speaking to the outlet identified the co-pilot as an Omani national.

Reporting by Fox News’ David Spunt and Jake Gibson. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with a passenger who broke into the cockpit of a FlyDubai flight to intervene after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the plane’s pilot and tried to crash the aircraft, the prime minister’s office said.

Netanyahu's office shared video of the prime minister meeting the passenger, identified as Yaniv, at the airport following the passengers' safe return to Israel.

"PM Netanyahu at the airport meeting with Yaniv, who broke into the cockpit," the prime minister's office said.

The Times of Israel reported on the conversation between the pair, including how Yaniv recounted how he broke into the cockpit, subdued the alleged attacker before helping to stabilize the nosediving aircraft.

“When I went in, I saw the terrorist on the controls, between the two seats," Yaniv said, according to the outlet. "There were no pilots in the seats. I grabbed the terrorist, put him in a hold, and first of all pulled him outside."

Yaniv said the attacker appeared to be trying to destroy the plane's controls when he entered the cockpit.

“I jumped back in there, grabbed the controls, started pulling the controls,” he said, describing how he pulled the controls backward.

“The plane started leveling out a little more, and then the pilot told me he was taking over from there,” he said.

Israeli officials have credited passengers and crew members with subduing the co-pilot and helping prevent the aircraft from crashing before another flight crew aboard took control of the plane.

The co-pilot accused of trying to crash an Israel-bound FlyDubai flight after stabbing the pilot is an Omani national and was arrested after the aircraft landed in Saudi Arabia, Israeli officials told Reuters.

An Israeli official identified the co-pilot as an Omani national, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the suspect was arrested after the plane made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Netanyahu said Saudi authorities were questioning the co-pilot following what he described as a "highly severe security incident."

The FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was carrying more than 170 Israelis when the cockpit altercation occurred, according to Reuters.

FlyDubai has said the underlying reasons behind the incident remain unknown and subject to a formal investigation, urging against "premature speculation" while authorities gather the facts.

The injured pilot aboard the FlyDubai flight clicked the release to open the cockpit door while lying bloodied on the floor during the midair emergency, a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Reuters.

The action allowed others to gain access to the cockpit as the aircraft rapidly lost altitude, according to the Israeli account.

The spokesperson told the outlet that the wounded pilot was "covered with blood and lying on the floor" when he activated the cockpit door release.

Passengers and a crew member then entered the cockpit and subdued the co-pilot, according to Israeli officials. A second set of pilots who were aboard the aircraft and scheduled to replace the original flight crew took control and ultimately landed the plane safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, according to the report.

A passenger aboard the FlyDubai flight described a sudden "massive drop" as the aircraft approached the Jordanian border, followed by a rush of passengers and crew toward the front of the plane as the emergency unfolded.

"The flight from Dubai was a very calm one for the first two hours," the passenger told Reuters. "And when we were at the Jordanian border, suddenly the aircraft dropped, like a massive drop, like a massive turbulence for 20-30 seconds."

The aircraft briefly stabilized before dropping again for about 10 seconds, according to the passenger.

"And then we saw that in the front of the aircraft there was a riot. Many people rushed over there," he said.

The passenger said he understood that one pilot had stabbed another and that a crew member and passengers managed to gain control of the situation. He said another pilot who was traveling aboard the aircraft then took control and flew the plane south to Saudi Arabia.

The passenger also praised the reception they received after landing in Saudi Arabia, saying authorities provided medical assistance, food and other support.

"They were very welcoming," he said, adding that passengers remained calm despite the ordeal.

"And now we are on the way back to Tel Aviv, safe and sound," he said.

Passengers from the FlyDubai flight that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia arrived safely at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv on Wednesday, where they were greeted with cheers and chants as they entered the airport.

The passengers returned to Israel after their original flight, FZ1073, diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, following an altercation in the cockpit.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday described the incident aboard the Israel-bound FlyDubai flight as a "terror attack" and thanked the United Arab Emirates for its partnership in combating terrorism.

"We had a very challenging few hours with a very frightening and worrying terror attack on a plane," Herzog said during a visit to the headquarters of the IDF's Judea and Samaria Division.

"Thank God that everybody is being rescued, and I want to thank the heroes on the plane," Herzog said. "I am hopeful that the Israelis who are flying from Saudi Arabia will reach home soon."

Herzog also thanked Israel's regional partners and singled out the UAE, where the flight originated.

"The United Arab Emirates is fighting terror with us and with other nations in the region," Herzog said. "We must not allow terror to destabilize the region, and we must prevent all efforts to undermine the stability and peace in the region."

Passengers from the FlyDubai flight that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia are expected to arrive soon at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv.

Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service, said its teams, along with medical clinic personnel at the airport, are on standby with mobile intensive care units and ambulances to meet the passengers arriving from Saudi Arabia.

Paramedics will assess the passengers upon arrival and provide medical treatment if necessary, according to an MDA spokesperson.

FlyDubai earlier said it had deployed two replacement aircraft to Tabuk, where Flight FZ1073 diverted following the cockpit altercation, to transport passengers and relieve crew members.

The FlyDubai aircraft that plunged thousands of feet during a cockpit altercation Wednesday appeared to exceed its maximum operating speed by "at least 100 knots," according to retired Navy F/A-18 fighter pilot Matthew Buckley.

Buckley, appearing on Fox News' "America's Newsroom," highlighted the extreme speed and rapid loss of altitude as he analyzed what happened aboard the Israel-bound flight.

"This airliner went from about 35,000, 34,000 feet down to — they lost about 20,000 feet in altitude in 30 seconds to a minute," Buckley said.

"They exceeded the max operating speed of this aircraft by at least 100 knots," he added.

Buckley also pointed to images of the aircraft that he said showed damage to its tail, saying, "They ripped the rudder off this tail."

The retired fighter pilot said the timeline suggested the aircraft's hijacking transponder code may not have been entered until after the initial emergency had already unfolded.

"I don't think, based on the timeline, that the squawk, the hijack squawk, was entered until after things had already happened," Buckley said.

FlyDubai confirmed Wednesday that an altercation occurred on the flight deck of its Israel-bound flight before the aircraft diverted to Saudi Arabia, while cautioning that the reasons and motives behind the incident remain unknown.

"An altercation occurred in the flight deck of flight FZ 1073, operating from Dubai International (DXB) to Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV), on 30 September," a FlyDubai spokesperson said in an updated statement.

The airline said on-duty FlyDubai crew members who were traveling aboard the flight successfully secured the aircraft before diverting and landing safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.

All passengers and crew members were "safe and accounted for," according to the carrier.

FlyDubai said it had deployed two replacement aircraft to Tabuk to relieve the passengers and crew and that the incident had not affected other scheduled operations across its network.

The airline did not address Israeli officials' assertions about an attempted attack, saying the circumstances remained under investigation.

"At this early stage, the underlying reasons and motives behind this event are unknown and remain subject to a formal investigation," the spokesperson said. "We urge all parties to refrain from premature speculation while authorities gather the facts."

FlyDubai said its immediate priority was the safety, health and well-being of the passengers and crew involved and supporting the official investigation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that a pilot aboard the Israel-bound FlyDubai flight stabbed another pilot and "apparently tried to crash the plane with everyone on board," praising passengers and crew members who he said intervened and prevented disaster.

Netanyahu said nearly all the passengers aboard the flight from Dubai to Israel were Israeli and described the episode as an "extremely serious security incident."

The prime minister said he spoke with an Israeli passenger who told him the aircraft went into a spin and began diving before the passenger and a crew member managed to enter the cockpit.

Netanyahu said the two subdued the pilot accused of carrying out the stabbing as he was allegedly attempting to sabotage the aircraft's systems. Additional aircrew members who were aboard then entered the cockpit and stabilized the plane, according to Netanyahu.

"I salute these heroes, who showed exceptional resourcefulness and courage," Netanyahu said. "They saved many lives. They prevented a terrible disaster."

The aircraft ultimately landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Netanyahu said all passengers were out of danger and that the pilot accused of carrying out the stabbing had been detained and was being questioned by Saudi authorities.

Netanyahu added that Israel remained in contact with the relevant authorities to ensure the passengers' safety and return home.

The prime minister said he had also instructed Israeli security services to prepare for "further potential threats," with officials continuing to hold security assessments as the investigation unfolds.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that the incident aboard an Israel-bound FlyDubai flight was an "attempted jihadist terrorist attack," saying preliminary information indicated the alleged attacker intended to crash the aircraft with everyone aboard.

"The serious incident aboard the Flydubai aircraft was an attempted jihadist terrorist attack," Katz said in a statement, adding that it was thwarted through the "bravery of several Israeli passengers" who entered the cockpit, overpowered the alleged attacker and helped restore control of the aircraft to another flight crew aboard the plane.

"According to the preliminary information available to us, the terrorist had one intention: to crash the aircraft with everyone on board," Katz said.

The FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv plunged thousands of feet before making an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The aircraft landed safely, and its captain and first officer were hospitalized with injuries.

FlyDubai has confirmed that Flight FZ1073 experienced an incident and landed safely but has not publicly confirmed Israel's account of an attempted terrorist attack or the circumstances of the cockpit confrontation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu separately said Wednesday that one pilot stabbed another and apparently attempted to crash the aircraft.

A Flydubai passenger said the co-pilot apparently stabbed the captain during a cockpit altercation before the Israel-bound jet plunged thousands of feet, triggering a terrifying scene aboard the aircraft and an emergency diversion to Saudi Arabia Wednesday.

Two Israeli officials told Reuters that the co-pilot was believed to have stabbed the captain before cabin crew entered the cockpit and took control of the plane. The officials said Israel's current assessment was that the incident may have been an attempted "terror attack." The Jerusalem Post separately reported that the growing assessment among Israel's security establishment, including the IDF, Mossad and Shin Bet, was that the incident was intended as an act of terror.

The passenger told Fox News that accounts of what happened remained conflicting, but said passengers understood that the co-pilot had stabbed the captain and then collapsed onto the controls.

"There are many different accounts, but apparently the co-pilot stabbed the captain and collapsed onto the controls, shutting down the entire instrument panel. We began plunging downward for several minutes. Everyone on the plane was screaming, the overhead compartments opened, and the power went out. We were sure we were going to die. It was very scary," the passenger said.

Flydubai has not publicly confirmed the reported stabbing or the circumstances surrounding the cockpit confrontation. Saudi Arabia's Tabuk airport said both pilots were hospitalized after suffering injuries, according to Reuters. An investigation into the incident remains underway.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Bradford Betz.