Passengers overcame pilot who tried to crash flydubai flight, Israel says

Live updates

1. 1h ago

   Passengers and crew thwart FlyDubai co-pilot's attempt to crash Israel-bound flight

   Passengers and crew subdued a FlyDubai co-pilot who stabbed the pilot and attempted to crash a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026. The aircraft plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before a second set of pilots on board landed the plane in Saudi Arabia. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the passengers and Captain Smit Machchhar for preventing another 9/11. The co-pilot was arrested following the emergency landing. FlyDubai stated the reasons for the event remain unknown.

   Why it matters

   The incident occurred on a commercial route between the UAE and Israel. UAE authorities had shared passenger and crew lists with Israel prior to the flight. The event highlights security vulnerabilities within the cockpit of commercial aircraft.

   What is confirmed

   • A FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia after a violent incident between pilots.
   • The co-pilot stabbed the pilot and attempted to crash the aircraft.
   • Passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot.
   • A second set of pilots on board landed the aircraft in Saudi Arabia.
   • The co-pilot was arrested.
   • The plane dropped nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.
   • The wounded pilot is identified as Captain Smit Machchhar.
   • The UAE shared the flight's passenger and crew list with Israel before departure.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The incident was an attempted jihadist terror attack.
   • One passenger credits the TV show Air Disasters for his actions.

   What to watch next

   • Official investigation results from FlyDubai regarding the co-pilot's motive
   • Legal proceedings or charges filed against the arrested co-pilot
   Sources used for this update (22)

   1. AP News — A commercial plane traveling from Dubai to Israel is diverted to Saudi Arabia after a distress call
   2. CNN — Israel-bound flight diverted to Saudi Arabia after ‘violent incident’ between pilots
   3. Reuters — Israel-bound flight diverted to Saudi Arabia after brawl between pilots, Israeli official says
   4. The New York Times — Clash Between Pilots Prompts Distress Signal on Flight From Dubai to Tel Aviv: Live Updates
   5. NBC News — Israel-bound flight makes emergency landing in Saudi Arabia amid reports of bloody altercation
   6. The Hill — What to know about Flydubai cockpit clash as pilot is arrested
   7. www.cbsnews.com — Dubai to Israel flight makes emergency landing, passenger says "co-pilot tried to murder the pilot" and crash jet
   8. Axios — FlyDubai flight spirals into chaos. What we know and what remains a mystery
   9. CNN — ‘Violent incident’ between pilots sparks diversion of Israel-bound flight to Saudi Arabia, sources say
   10. The Free Press — ‘I Ran Toward the Cockpit’: An Exclusive Interview with the Israeli Dad Who Stopped a Hijacking
   11. KSL.com — Netanyahu says pilot on FlyDubai flight stabbed another, tried to crash the plane
   12. The Times of Israel — Israeli who stopped flydubai plane from nosediving credits TV show Air Disasters for teaching him how to act
   confidence 95%