6 Tense Facts Regarding Flydubai Flight to Israel Near-Hijacking by Co-pilot
A tense incident occurred during a Flydubai flight on the route from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Israel. The aircraft’s pilot was stabbed by the co-pilot, leading to an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
The aircraft managed to land safely at Tabuk Airport, Saudi Arabia. The disturbance began when the flight captain, Smit Machchhar from India, was suddenly stabbed by the co-pilot flying alongside him on Wednesday (30/9) local time.
The struggle between the pilot and the co-pilot caused the aircraft to dive sharply, losing an altitude of almost 14,000 feet (4,267 metres) in less than 30 seconds.
Machchhar was found covered in blood and lying on the floor when he managed to press the cockpit door release button from the inside. This allowed the passengers and crew to neutralise the co-pilot, who was suspected of attempting to hijack the aircraft carrying 174 people.
Here are six facts regarding the incident:
- Attempted Crash of the Aircraft
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that one of the pilots intended to crash the plane and kill the passengers. According to AFP on Wednesday (30/9), passengers provided similar accounts of the incident. They described a struggle for control after the plane suddenly plummeted, losing approximately 17,000 feet in altitude within one minute, according to Flightradar24.
Flydubai stated that 174 passengers, 166 of whom were Israeli nationals, were safe. In its statement, Flydubai also noted that the exact cause of the disturbance inside the aircraft was not yet known.
“During the flight, as they approached their destination, one pilot stabbed the other and apparently attempted to crash the plane along with everyone on board,” Netanyahu said in a video message. Netanyahu claimed to have spoken with an Israeli passenger who breached the cockpit during the dive and struggled against the pilot attempting to crash the plane.
“I pay tribute to these heroes, who showed extraordinary ingenuity and courage. They saved many lives; they prevented a major disaster,” said Netanyahu. According to the airline, the flight was diverted to Tabuk at 09:45 local time. The captain and co-pilot were found injured and were rushed to the hospital.
- Passenger Testimonies
A hijacking attempt nearly occurred on the Flydubai flight to Israel. One passenger recounted the moment of resistance, breaching the cockpit to prevent the hijacking. According to Reuters and CNN on Thursday (1/10), Israeli officials stated that passengers and crew entered the cockpit to neutralise the suspected hijacker. More than 10 hours later, the plane finally landed in Israel.
“I can only say it was a miracle. The situation was horrific and chaotic; we are grateful to God that we are safe. We thought we wouldn’t make it, but thankfully we are now in Israel. We have returned home and are happy to see everyone here,” said passenger Lital Shachaf.
Another passenger, Yaniv Hayoun, described the moments when he and other passengers stopped the hijacking attempt. Hayoun recounted how he placed the perpetrator in a chokehold and dragged him out of the cockpit. Hayoun met Netanyahu on Wednesday (30/9) to recount his efforts to enter the cockpit. He noted that the pilot, injured by the stabbing, was pinned against the door, making it initially difficult to open.
Upon successfully entering the cockpit, he saw the attacker positioned over the panel between the two pilot seats. “There were no pilots in their seats: one person was on the floor, and another was on top of the [panel],” said Hayoun. He stated that the perpetrator appeared to be trying to disable the aircraft. Hayoun then called for other passengers to help secure the attacker. “I called a number of Israeli passengers on the plane, and two other men came to help. We neutralised the perpetrator,” said Hayoun. “I immediately moved forward, took control, and began pulling the lever back.”
Hayoun remarked that the entire event unfolded in seconds. “I imagine if we had entered Israeli airspace, the situation might not have ended well,” he told Netanyahu.
- The Moments the Pilot was Stabbed
The pilot, identified as Smit Machchhar from India, managed to open the cockpit door from the inside while injured, allowing passengers and crew to subdue the co-pilot. This incident, which sparked global concern, began when Machchhar was suddenly stabbed by the co-pilot on Wednesday (30/9).
The identity and nationality of the co-pilot have not yet been released to the public. Machchhar was found bloodied on the floor after pressing the door release. Two other Flydubai pilots on board managed to land the plane in an emergency in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the flight to Israel was diverted. Netanyahu praised Machchhar for his “extraordinary courage” and for preventing a fatal disaster in the air.
- Motive