Flight plunged thousands of feet after co-pilot allegedly stabbed captain; passengers and additional pilots helped regain control before emergency landing in Saudi Arabia

A Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced into an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a violent incident inside the cockpit left the captain injured and sent the aircraft into a dramatic descent.
The Boeing 737 MAX, operating as Flydubai Flight FZ1073, was carrying more than 170 passengers when one pilot allegedly attacked the other with a knife while the aircraft was approaching Israel. Israeli officials said the attacker appeared to have attempted to take control of the aircraft and crash it.
The incident was brought under control after the injured captain managed to open the cockpit door. Passengers and crew members entered the cockpit and restrained the attacker, while additional pilots who were travelling on the aircraft helped regain control of the plane.
According to passenger accounts reported by international media, one of the off-duty pilots was British. He reportedly entered the cockpit and helped pull the aircraft out of its steep descent before the plane was safely landed in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia.
Aircraft plunged thousands of feet
Flight-tracking data indicated that the aircraft experienced an extremely rapid loss of altitude. The Indian Express reported that the aircraft descended approximately 14,125 feet in 29 seconds during the emergency.
The sudden descent created a terrifying situation for passengers. According to reports, the aircraft briefly went into a steep dive before control was recovered.
The Washington Post reported that the flight began a sharp descent from about 34,000 feet and temporarily lost a substantial portion of its altitude before stabilising. Emergency codes associated with a general emergency and unlawful interference were also activated.
Injured captain helped open the cockpit
The captain was identified in multiple reports as Smit Machchhar, an Indian national. Despite suffering stab wounds, he reportedly managed to fight back and unlock the cockpit door.
That action proved critical because it allowed passengers and other crew members to enter the cockpit and confront the attacker.
The Guardian reported that Machchhar was seriously injured but remained involved in the effort to prevent the aircraft from being lost. He was later taken to hospital in Tabuk, where reports said he was in stable condition.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Machchhar and the passengers who intervened. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also publicly praised the captain's courage.
Passengers fought to regain control
Passengers also played an important role during the emergency.
One passenger, Yaniv Hayoun, later described entering the cockpit and helping restrain the attacker. Reports said other passengers assisted in physically overpowering the pilot while additional flight crew members worked to stabilise the aircraft.
Passenger accounts indicate that an off-duty British pilot and another relief pilot were travelling on the aircraft. They entered the cockpit and assisted with the aircraft's recovery.
A passenger quoted by the Guardian said the British pilot helped pull the aircraft up and stabilise it before the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. However, reports differ about the nationalities of the additional pilots, and further official confirmation is expected.
Emergency landing in Saudi Arabia
With the situation brought under control, the aircraft diverted to Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
The plane landed safely, preventing what could have been a major aviation disaster. The passengers were subsequently transported onward, with reports saying they eventually continued their journey to Israel on another aircraft.
Flydubai confirmed that its aircraft had been secured by crew members travelling on the flight. The airline also said that the reasons and motives behind the incident remained unknown and were subject to a formal investigation.
Motive remains under investigation
Israeli officials have described the incident as a possible terrorist attack, with Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz calling it an attempted jihadist attack. However, the motive has not been conclusively established.
Authorities in several countries, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, are involved in examining what happened and why.
The co-pilot, reported to be an Omani national, was taken into custody in Saudi Arabia, according to reports. Investigators are expected to examine his background, possible motives and whether the incident was planned or involved other individuals.
Until those investigations are completed, descriptions of the incident as a terrorist or jihadist attack should be treated as allegations rather than established findings.
A narrow escape
The Flydubai incident has highlighted how quickly an aviation emergency can develop and how important the actions of trained crew members can become in an unexpected crisis.
The injured captain's decision to open the cockpit, the intervention of passengers and the assistance of off-duty pilots were all reported as important factors in preventing the aircraft from crashing.
For the more than 170 people aboard Flight FZ1073, the emergency ended with a safe landing rather than tragedy.
Investigators now face the task of establishing exactly what happened inside the cockpit, what motivated the attack and how the aircraft was recovered from its steep descent.