flydubai is a government-owned low-cost airline based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Established by the Dubai government in 2008, it began operations in June 2009 and has since built a network of more than 125 destinations across 56 countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe.
The airline operates a fleet of 98 Boeing 737 aircraft, including 737-800, 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9 models. Based primarily at Dubai International Airport, flydubai also works closely with Emirates through a codeshare partnership, offering connecting flights and integrated passenger services. The airline has also opened more than 100 routes connecting Dubai with previously underserved markets.
An expert discussion examined the September 30 Flydubai FZ1073 cockpit attack in which Omani co-pilot stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar during the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight. The aircraft reportedly went into a rapid descent before Machchhar, despite sustaining serious injuries, activated the cockpit door release. Passengers and crew then restrained the co-pilot, while two off-duty pilots helped stabilise the aircraft. The plane, carrying 174 people, was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia and landed safely despite reported damage. Experts discussed the sequence of events, the captain’s actions and how the crisis was brought under control.
In an exclusive simulation inside a Boeing 737 cockpit, India Today demonstrates the sequence of events that unfolded during the mid-air altercation aboard Flydubai flight 1073. Seated in the first officer's position alongside a flight instructor, the reporter retraces how an unauthorized attempt by the co-pilot to take control of the aircraft and alter altitude settings provoked resistance from Captain Smit Machchhar. The demonstration details how the aircraft transmitted distress transponder code 7700 at 05:21 GMT before squawking code 7500, signalling unlawful interference and hijacking, seven minutes later as the plane plunged 14,000 feet near Jordanian airspace. The walkthrough highlights the location and potential unauthorized use of the cockpit crash axe, how the emergency locator transmitter functions, and how an injured Captain Smit managed to unlock the reinforced flight deck door, allowing intervening passengers and an off-duty pilot to secure controls and divert safely to Tabuk Airport.
On board FlyDubai Flight 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Captain Smit Makkar thwarted a suspected mid-air terror plot when his Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked him with a sharp object at 35,000 feet. Despite suffering multiple stab wounds, the Indian captain opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers to intervene as the aircraft plummeted rapidly. Israeli officials and Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Captain Smit for saving 174 lives and averting a 9/11-like catastrophe. Captain Smit received initial treatment in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, before being moved to Abu Dhabi in stable condition. Global aviation experts, including Captain Sam Thomas of the Airlines Pilots Association of India, security analyst Saul Satka, and SpiceJet CMD Ajay Singh, weighed in on the unprecedented cockpit breach. The discussions focused on insider aviation threats, pilot psychological screening, cockpit security locks, and an ongoing multi-nation investigation involving the UAE and Israel.
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv averted a midair disaster after an altercation inside the cockpit resulted in Indian pilot Captain Smit Machhar being stabbed multiple times by his Omani co-pilot, who attempted to seize control of the aircraft.
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv carrying 174 people on board faced a terrifying mid-air crisis after the co-pilot violently attacked the pilot in command, Captain Smit Machhar. The co-pilot reportedly used a cockpit emergency axe or sharp object to stab the Indian captain and deliberately forced the aircraft into a steep nosedive from cruising altitude. Despite bleeding profusely, Captain Machhar broadcast emergency distress and hijack alert codes before opening the locked cockpit door from the inside. Crew members and passengers, including an off-duty pilot, breached the cockpit, overpowered the assailant, and pulled the aircraft out of the plunge. Medical assistance was administered by a dentist travelling on the flight while the plane made an emergency diversion to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely and the co-pilot was detained.
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv carrying 174 passengers faced midair terror after an Omani co-pilot attacked and stabbed the Indian captain, Smit Muchhar, inside the cockpit.
This special edition of 5ive Live mentions a video showing injured Indian Captain Smit Machchhar after the cockpit attack on flydubai flight FZ1073, capturing the tense aftermath aboard the aircraft.
A Flydubai pilot's actions during a cockpit attack by a co-pilot have drawn comparisons to Neerja Bhanot's bravery during the 1986 Pan Am flight hijacking. In the Flydubai incident, Captain Muchir was stabbed multiple times and bleeding, but fought to ward off the attacking pilot, opened the door for assistance, and regained control of the aircraft to protect 174 passengers on board. Bhanot had similarly confronted armed hijackers to save passengers before losing her life. Captain Muchir is currently receiving medical treatment in Abu Dhabi and is doing well.
A Flydubai flight en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted and forced to land in Saudi Arabia following an incident involving the co-pilot. The United Arab Emirates authorities issued a statement confirming that the UAE attorney general has ordered an investigation into the causes and circumstances of the diversion, asserting judicial jurisdiction as the aircraft is registered in the UAE. The co-pilot was arrested and questioned by Saudi authorities in Tabuk, where passengers were assisted and later flown to Tel Aviv on an alternative flight.
Israel will honour Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage during an attack aboard a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv on Tuesday, Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar told India Today.
The incident unfolded aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the Omani co-pilot attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with a sharp object and allegedly tried to damage the aircraft's flight control panels.
In an exclusive interview with India Today, Hayun recounted the terrifying moments when the co-pilot attacked Machchhar and the aircraft began plunging.
Yaniv Hayoun, the Israeli passenger, said that he grabbed the co-pilot by the neck and pulled him backwards out of the cockpit. When Netanyahu asked what the co-pilot was doing with the controls, Hayoun said he believed he was trying to damage or interfere with them.
Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency diversion to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the co-pilot attacked Captain Smit Majahar and attempted to seize control of the aircraft, which descended 14,000 feet and issued distress codes 7700 and 7500 before passengers and crew restrained the assailant. In New Delhi, leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc met to launch nationwide demonstrations seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the withdrawal of the SIR exercise, amid ongoing seat-sharing disputes between Congress and the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the conclusion of the BJP Nashamukt Punjab Yatra in Jalandhar, pledging to eliminate narcotics in Punjab by December 31, 2029, as political leaders and former law enforcement officials debated governance, de-addiction infrastructure, and narcotics seizure data ahead of state elections.
A routine Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv experienced a severe mid-air emergency when a violent confrontation erupted between the pilots in the cockpit. The aircraft transmitted squawk code 7500, signalling unlawful interference, and rapidly descended nearly 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds before diverting safely to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. Reports revealed that one pilot was stabbed inside the flight deck, while passengers and crew intervened to neutralize the attacker and help safely land the plane. Israeli authorities, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, described the incident as a highly severe security situation and an attempted terror attack, alleging the co-pilot attempted to crash the airliner. Israeli politician Sharon Haskel noted that the event is currently under investigation by authorities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. A rescue flight carrying the stranded passengers subsequently landed safely in Tel Aviv.
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain inside the cockpit, causing the Boeing aircraft to drop thousands of feet before crew members and off-duty pilots subdued the attacker.
This news broadcast covers key national and international developments, beginning with an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv following an alleged cockpit attack on the pilot, with security analysis from retired IDF intelligence officer Major Dan Feferman. Focus shifts to women's safety issues across India, examining violent assaults in Begusarai and Gaya in Bihar, a recorded assault in Bengaluru, and demonstrations by Delhi University students demanding functional CCTV cameras and enhanced security following recent sexual assault cases in the national capital. The report details protests organized by the opposition INDIA bloc demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities. Additionally, coverage includes an Uttar Pradesh court convicting Muskan and Sahil in the Saurabh Rastogi blue drum murder case, the suspension of a Borivali restaurant's licence by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration, and the rollout of Apple Pay contactless payment services in India.
A major aviation disaster was narrowly averted aboard a FlyDubai flight en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv carrying around 180 passengers and crew. During the flight over Jordan and Saudi airspace, a co-pilot stabbed the aircraft's captain with a pen knife and attempted to force the plane into a 14,000-foot dive to crash it. Passengers, including off-duty Israeli pilots and crew members, forced their way into the cramped cockpit, overpowered the assailant, and stabilized the aircraft. The plane executed an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where the injured pilot was hospitalized and the assailant detained by local authorities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the passengers and crew for their courage in neutralizing the attacker and averting a catastrophic crash. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz characterized the episode as an attempted terror attack, while global authorities investigate the assailant's background, motives, and security breaches.
A flydubai commercial flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia following a midair altercation between its pilots, triggering a major hijacking scare. The Boeing aircraft, operating as flight FZ1073 with over 100 Israeli passengers on board, transmitted emergency transponder codes 7700 and 7500 and plunged around 4,000 metres in altitude during the scuffle. Crew members and Israeli passengers subdued the pilot before the aircraft landed safely in Saudi Arabia. The incident prompted the Israeli Air Force to scramble fighter jets, temporarily shut down Ben Gurion Airport, and led Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to convene an emergency security meeting. Both UAE and Israeli authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the cockpit brawl.
A Flydubai commercial flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, identified as flight FZ1073, triggered an emergency while veering over Saudi Arabia. The Boeing 737 initially sent transponder squawk code 7700 for a general emergency before switching to code 7500, which signals hijacking or unlawful interference. The aircraft descended to 15,000 feet and made a sharp turn over northern Saudi Arabian airspace before stabilizing. The incident occurred amid heightened regional security concerns in West Asia. Sources indicate that the aircraft, carrying several Israeli passengers, landed safely in Saudi Arabia and the emergency situation has been resolved. Authorities are investigating the cause of the diversion, with official statements from Israeli and Saudi authorities awaited.
