On a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, an mid-air attack was thwarted through the extraordinary brave actions of its captain and quick-thinking passengers.

The incident occurred aboard flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 carrying up to 180 passengers, when the Omani co-pilot stabbed the aircraft’s captain, Captain Smit Machchhar, over Saudi Arabian airspace in an apparent attempt to take control of the plane.

Despite sustaining severe injuries, Captain Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door, enabling three Israeli passengers to rush in and tackle the attacker. Among them, a passenger seized the control column to pull the aircraft out of a steep nosedive, while others restrained the suspect using headphone wires.

Off-duty pilots travelling as passengers subsequently stepped in to secure the flight deck and safely land the aircraft at Tabuk in north-western Saudi Arabia.

Former Israeli Government Spokesperson Eylon Levy and Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar both praised Captain Machchhar and the passengers, emphasising that their decisive actions averted what could have been a 9/11-style catastrophe. Unlike traditional hijackings, authorities suspect the attacker intended to use the aircraft as a weapon, either crashing it in the desert or targeting a building in Israeli airspace.

The Omani co-pilot remains in Saudi custody as regional authorities conduct a thorough investigation, including analysing flight data and cockpit voice recorders.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel is closely following the probe and seeking participation, while discussions are underway regarding the suspect's potential transfer to the United Arab Emirates.

Following the incident, Flydubai has temporarily suspended its flights to and from Israel, while aviation authorities worldwide prepare to review cockpit security and emergency protocols. Captain Machchhar, a veteran pilot with over 13 years of experience and 9,750 flight hours, is being widely recognised alongside the heroic passengers for preventing a massive tragedy.

ANI