Flydubai Suspends Israel Flights as Netanyahu Says Pilot “Tried to Crash the Plane”

Flydubai has suspended Israel flights after Netanyahu said a pilot stabbed his colleague and tried to crash the plane

October 1, 2026

“Prevented a 9/11 Disaster”: Netanyahu Hails Hero Pilot in Flydubai Stabbing Case

Flydubai has suspended all flights to and from Israel pending an investigation into Wednesday’s cockpit attack aboard flight FZ1073, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said one pilot stabbed the other and appeared to attempt to crash the aircraft with everyone on board.

The Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight, carrying 174 people, plunged thousands of feet mid-flight before diverting to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. Flydubai confirmed that an altercation took place on the flight deck but said the reasons and motive behind the incident remain unknown.

“A disaster for Israel,” averted

Speaking to CNN, Netanyahu said Israel had received no prior warning or intelligence about the incident and that an investigation is now underway. He credited the pilot who regained control of the aircraft with preventing what he called a “9/11 disaster,” and separately described the episode as “a most serious security incident.” According to CNN and other outlets, the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain before onboard crew members intervened, secured the aircraft, and diverted it to Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.

Injured captain identified as Indian national

The injured captain has been identified in reports as Indian national Smit Machchhar, who was hospitalised following the incident but was reported to be in stable condition. Early reports in Israeli and Ukrainian media had suggested the pilots involved were Russian and Ukrainian, while other accounts attributed to Israeli officials described the attacking co-pilot as Omani; these conflicting nationality claims have not been officially confirmed, and fact-checkers have noted the inconsistency across different reports. Both pilots were hospitalised after the aircraft landed in Tabuk.

Passengers flown on to Israel

All 174 passengers were subsequently flown onward to Tel Aviv aboard a replacement Flydubai aircraft. The Israel Airports Authority opened a dedicated waiting and information area at Ben Gurion Airport for the families of those on board while the diverted flight’s passengers made their way home. Flydubai apologised to affected passengers for the disruption to their travel plans and said it was working to arrange support and alternative travel where possible.

Flights halted, licence under review

Flydubai said it would keep flights to and from Israel suspended while it works with authorities to establish what happened in the cockpit. According to Israel’s Channel 13, Israeli officials are now considering revoking Flydubai’s licence to operate flights to the country altogether, with a committee of government, aviation and security officials formed to examine the matter.

The suspension adds a fresh layer of disruption to a route that has already seen repeated interruptions this year — flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai were halted entirely at the end of February following the outbreak of the Iran war, before being tentatively restored. Separately, Israel’s national carrier El Al announced hours after Wednesday’s incident that it is preparing to resume its own Tel Aviv-Dubai service in November, after more than eight months of suspension, with at least two daily flights planned.

The investigation into the cockpit attack, including the attacker’s identity, nationality and motive, remains ongoing.

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