Region of Saudi Arabia on the north-west coast facing Egypt across the Red Sea
A Flydubai co‑pilot has attacked the captain on a Dubai–Tel Aviv flight on Sept. 30, stabbed him and attempted to seize control. Passengers, cabin crew and two off‑duty pilots have overpowered the assailant; an off‑duty relief crew has landed the Boeing 737 MAX in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The UAE has opened a terrorism probe and investigators are examining the suspect’s background and travel history.
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after a co‑pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and tried to crash the plane. The injured captain, identified as Indian national Smit Machchhar, has been taken to hospital in Tabuk. Passengers and on‑duty crew have overpowered and restrained the attacker; all passengers have returned to Tel Aviv.
The Flydubai FZ1073 flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has diverted to Tabuk after a midair altercation in the cockpit. UAE authorities are coordinating with Saudi and Emirati agencies to determine motives, possible terrorism links, and any prior planning. The captain, Smit Machchhar, is recovering, and investigations are under way across multiple jurisdictions.
The UAE-led probe has identified the co-pilot as a likely attacker who used a cockpit axe to threaten the captain amid a dramatic mid-flight crisis. Investigators say the motive centered on inflicting mass casualties; several crew members and passengers played key roles in subduing the assailant as the jet diverted to Tabuk after a steep descent.