Co-pilot attacks captain on Flydubai flight, forcing emergency landing in Saudi Arabia
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced to land in Tabuk after the co-pilot assaulted the captain, injuring both crew members.
A preliminary probe by Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry confirmed that a Flydubai flight en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv experienced a cockpit assault, with the co-pilot physically attacking the captain. The incident compelled the crew to execute an emergency landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, where the plane arrived safely at 9:45 am local time with 174 passengers and eight crew members.
Both pilots sustained injuries and received medical treatment before being cleared to travel to Abu Dhabi, escorted by a United Arab Emirates security team. Saudi’s National Transport Safety Center opened an investigation, coordinating with regional authorities to collect evidence. The UAE’s chief prosecutor also opened a case to explore possible terrorist motives or pre-planned actions, while Indian officials praised Captain Smit Machchhar’s actions as heroic.
Why it matters
The incident raises concerns about cockpit security and airline safety on international routes.
How this story developed
- Sep 30 Netanyahu hails Indian pilot who thwarted alleged flydubai sabotage
- Sep 30 "Every pilot that is going to be flying into Israel, we are going to know the pilots' identities, know who they are, and do some type of security check," Doron Spielman said.
- Oct 1 U.S. President Donald Trump publicly praised the Indian pilot.
- Oct 1 Netanyahu said Saudi Arabia arrested one of the pilots who allegedly tried to crash a FlyDubai flight.
- Oct 1 Israel’s transport minister ordered a six‑day suspension of Flydubai flights to Israel and Emirates halted code‑share operations on those routes.
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