A FlyDubai Boeing 737 MAX flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after a violent cockpit struggle on Wednesday, where the co-pilot stabbed the captain and attempted to crash the aircraft before passengers and off-duty crew members intervened.
Inside the cockpit, a violent confrontation erupted when the co-pilot attacked Capt. Smit Machchhar, leaving blood across the flight deck while attempting to disable the controls and direct the plane toward a crash.
Passenger Intervention and the Emergency Landing in Tabuk
Quick-thinking passengers and traveling crew members prevented a catastrophe. While traveling in the cabin, Asaf Rajuan and other passengers rushed to the cockpit, pulled the wounded co-pilot away from the controls, and subdued him. Amid the chaos, the injured captain managed to unlock the armored flight deck door, allowing help to flood in.
Two extra pilots who were deadheading on the flight—traveling to work a return route from Tel Aviv—then sprang into action. According to passenger Daniel Schlichter, one of the off-duty pilots practically hurdled the ongoing physical struggle in the cockpit to seize the flight controls, while the other quickly joined him to secure the area and stabilize the aircraft after an extreme, rudder-damaging descent.
“He was actually kind of jumping above the guys that were handling the terrorist, and he reached out to the pilot area and started to take over. And then the other guy, the other pilot, joined in and they closed the door because they didn’t want anybody else to be there.”
Daniel Schlichter, passenger, via France24
The flight made an emergency landing at Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where local air traffic authorities declared an immediate state of emergency upon receiving the distress call. While the co-pilot was arrested and taken into custody by Saudi authorities for questioning, the injured captain and another crew member received medical treatment at local hospitals. FlyDubai subsequently dispatched a replacement aircraft to transport the remaining passengers safely to Tel Aviv.
Political Fallout and Conflicting Official Claims Over Motive
Israeli security officials began investigating whether the attack was an attempted September 11-style operation and whether the suspect acted alone.
At the same time, regional accounts and security briefings offered varying perspectives. A correspondent for Israel’s official broadcasting authority reported that security officials found no initial evidence linking the co-pilot to a wider terrorist organization or foreign state, noting that current indicators suggested he acted alone without signs of mental illness. Meanwhile, an Omani official confirmed to American media that the attacker was born in Oman and held Omani citizenship, though the government in Muscat issued no immediate public confirmation.
The incident also ignited political friction within Israel. Opposition figures accused the prime minister of exploiting the mid-air crisis for domestic electoral advantage, pointing to immediate declarations made before formal investigative results could be established. International partners also engaged with the unfolding security situation; United States Attorney General Tod Blanche’s administration noted close diplomatic and intelligence coordination with foreign counterparts regarding the investigation.
FlyDubai Suspends Flights Amid Crew Nationality Scrutiny
In the wake of the emergency landing, Israeli media and political figures raised questions regarding FlyDubai’s compliance with bilateral aviation agreements governing the nationalities of flight crews operating on routes serving Israel. Critics pointed to treaty stipulations requiring air crews on those routes to hold citizenship in nations maintaining formal ties with Israel.
Responding to the mounting scrutiny and ongoing security inquiries, FlyDubai announced a temporary suspension of all flights connecting to and from Israel. The airline stated that the pause would give international aviation and security authorities adequate time to conduct comprehensive investigations and determine all underlying facts surrounding the cockpit altercation.
Meanwhile, diplomatic channels worked to support the injured flight deck crew. India’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Deepak Mittal, visited Capt. Machchhar and reported that the wounded Indian national was recovering well and remained in good health following the violent encounter that saved 174 lives.
