A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was the site of a midair attack on September 30, 2026. The incident occurred when an Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to seize control of the aircraft.
The flight, FZ1073, carried 174 people, most of whom were Israeli citizens, according to Israeli officials. The attack began about two and a half hours after the Boeing 737 departed Dubai at 07:05 local time.
The aircraft immediately sent a distress call at 08:44 local time. It then lost half its altitude in the span of about a minute, dropping from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet. This descent was so extreme that most of the rudder was ripped off the aircraft’s tail.
Aviation experts expressed surprise that the plane did not crash. The aircraft circled close to the Jordanian border before landing safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, about an hour later.
Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national from Mumbai, was the injured pilot. Despite being stabbed, he managed to open the cockpit door. This action allowed a passenger and a crew member to rush in and subdue the attacker.
This decision enabled passengers and crew to overpower the assailant and prevent a catastrophic midair disaster, as stated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Captain Machchhar later spoke publicly with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the ordeal. He recounted lying on the floor injured but choosing to push for one last push to open the door from the inside, stating he fought for his life while determined not to let others die.
Saudi authorities arrested the alleged attacker upon the aircraft’s landing and handed him over to the United Arab Emirates, which claimed jurisdiction over the aircraft.
Testimony from fellow pilots and crew members described the attacker as a radical Islamist who frequently spoke in praise of Allah and refused to shake hands with women.
Netanyahu stated that investigations suggested the attacker had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination. Israeli officials also reported that social media material attributed to the co-pilot included posts about killing Jewish people, indicating radicalization into jihadist ideology.
Investigators are examining whether the attacker was recruited in advance or joined the airline as part of a plot. One theory being explored is that the attacker intended to strike a strategic target, potentially resembling the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Possible targets under examination include a US air base along the flight path or Israeli sites. Intelligence sources suggest the level of preparation makes the lone-attacker scenario less plausible, pointing instead to a premeditated operation organized by an Islamist terrorist group or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
An Emirati senior official, Anwar Gargash, described the incident as a terrorist act and praised Captain Machchhar for his courage and responsibility.
An investigation is also considering other possibilities, including mental disorders, as a regional official stated all possible scenarios, from terrorism to mental disorders, are being looked into.
The incident prompted a multinational defence coordination response involving officials from Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. Saudi and Jordanian fighter jets were scrambled to secure the surrounding airspace.
Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev suspended Flydubai operations to Israel and ordered an inquiry into possible breaches of bilateral aviation agreements.
Netanyahu noted that there was a security loophole concerning pilots from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel, which the UAE cooperated on addressing.
Captain Machchhar is currently in stable condition and recovering well in Abu Dhabi, having been airlifted to a hospital in Tabuk.
