A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv in Israel on Wednesday made an emergency landing at the Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia after one of the co-pilots stabbed the other, intending to crash the plane.
Machchar, an Indian national, opened the cockpit door before collapsing on the floor, unconscious. What followed was a dramatic confrontation and rescue that eventually ended with the aircraft landing at the Tabuk Airport. One of the passengers, identified as Yaniv Hayoun, opened the door and entered the cockpit. Other passengers also stepped in and helped overpower the attacking co-pilot. Hayoun also briefly took control of the aircraft. If one cog in the chain of events had been different, a major catastrophe could have followed. Questions remain around what happened after passenger Yaniv Hayoun briefly took control of the aircraft and subdued the attacking co-pilot. Videos from inside the plane showed lights dimmed as passengers scrambled in their seats. Machchar and the co-pilot who attacked him are currently undergoing treatment in Tabuk. Reports say that the suspension will be for six days.
Wednesday’s journey for FZ1073 – one of the 10 daily flights operated by flydubai between Dubai and Tel Aviv- turned dramatic after the co-pilot stabbed Captain Smit Machchar mid-air while the cockpit was closed. Machchar was the only one injured, and the 174 passengers and the crew on board were uninjured at landing. The plane was cruising at an altitude of 34,000 feet and, over the course of the confrontation, dropped to around 16,000 feet rapidly, sparking panic among the passengers. How was the flight was rescued from 16,000 feet, diverted to Tabuk Airport, and landed safely in Saudi Arabia, has caused some confusion.
A flydubai spokesperson said that two “on duty” flydubai crew members on board the aircraft carried out the landing. The spokesperson said that the Boeing 747 MAX was “successfully secured by on-duty Flydubai crew travelling on the flight, who diverted and landed the aircraft safely at Tabuk Airport.” . Almog Itali, one of the passengers, said that they were “relief pilots” who were meant to operate a subsequent flight. But CNN reported that it is “highly unusual” for backup pilots, that too two of them, to travel on-duty on a plane Of the 174 passengers on the plane, 170 were Israelis. Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Indian pilot Smith Machchar in a post on X, hailing him as a “true hero”. Israeli officials have said that the attacking co-pilot was an Omani national and characterised the attack as “terrorism. A fludubai spokesperson said that their flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv will stay suspended till relevant authorities conclude the investigation into the incident.
Even in that case, the pilots are off-duty. “We remain in close coordination with government authorities, regulators and airport stakeholders and will review the suspension as more information becomes available.
CNN’s aviation safety analyst David Soucie said that it happens only if “they are being repositioned. However, Alan Diehl, another American aviation safety expert, told CNN that it is “relatively common for one or more regular passengers aboard an airliner to have pilot training. “We are fully committed to supporting the ongoing investigation and maintaining the highest safety standards across our network,” the spokesperson said. “We apologise to passengers whose travel plans have been affected and are working to provide support and alternative arrangements where possible.”
