Flydubai FZ1073 diverted after alleged cockpit attack, passengers intervene
Israeli officials said passengers and crew restrained a co-pilot after an alleged attack on a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
2 min read
Flydubai flight FZ1073 was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 30 after what Israeli officials described as a cockpit attack during its journey from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and apparently tried to crash the aircraft, which had 174 people aboard.
The allegation has not been established by an investigation. Flydubai said the reasons and motives behind the incident were unknown and warned against premature speculation.
What happened on Flydubai flight FZ1073?
Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the Boeing 737 dropped about 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds, according to Reuters and NBC News. Israeli officials said passengers and crew got into the cockpit, restrained the alleged attacker and helped regain control of the plane.
Reuters reported that a second pair of Flydubai pilots travelling as passengers then took over and landed the aircraft safely at Tabuk Airport. Passengers later continued to Israel on a replacement Flydubai aircraft.
Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, was hospitalized after being injured, according to Israeli officials cited by NBC. Tabuk airport said both pilots had been hospitalized with injuries, Reuters reported.
One passenger, Yaniv Hayun, told reporters that he and three others helped during the intervention. His account of the struggle inside the cockpit is eyewitness testimony, and authorities have not released a full account of the sequence of events.
What is known about the investigation?
Netanyahu said Saudi authorities arrested the co-pilot and would question him. Israeli officials said the suspected attacker’s motive remained under investigation.
Some Israeli officials raised the possibility of terrorism, but a spokesperson for Netanyahu said there was no certainty while passengers and crew were being debriefed. No country or armed group had claimed responsibility, NBC reported.
Officials and news outlets have also given conflicting early descriptions of the pilots’ identities and roles. Reuters noted those discrepancies, so the alleged attacker’s identity and nationality should not be treated as settled.
Why did Flydubai suspend Israel flights?
Flydubai temporarily halted flights to and from Israel, saying the pause would give relevant authorities time to establish the facts. The airline said the aircraft had been secured and that all passengers and crew were safe and accounted for.
Israel also said it would tighten checks on pilots flying into the country, Reuters reported. Investigators have not publicly confirmed a motive, how any weapon may have reached the cockpit or the precise circumstances that led to the sharp descent.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.