Key facts
- A flydubai flight, FZ 1073, experienced a rapid descent of 17,000ft in under two minutes.
- The co-pilot, an Omani national, attacked the captain, who sustained multiple stab wounds.
- Passengers and crew intervened to overpower the co-pilot.
- The Boeing 737 Max made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
- All 174 passengers and crew on board escaped serious injury.
- The co-pilot's motives and affiliations are under investigation by Saudi authorities and international partners.
A flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after its co-pilot attacked the captain in the cockpit, an incident authorities are investigating as a potential hijacking. The flight, FZ 1073, plummeted 17,000ft in under two minutes before passengers and crew intervened to overpower the assailant.
Captain Smit Machchhar, bleeding heavily from multiple stab wounds, managed to release his cockpit door, allowing others to enter and subdue the co-pilot, an Omani national. Other crew members stabilized the aircraft, which landed safely in Saudi Arabia around 11 a.m. local time. All 174 people on board escaped serious injury.
Investigators are examining whether the attack was motivated by terrorism, personal reasons, or if it was a lone wolf incident. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated it was too early to determine if Iran was involved, but suggested the co-pilot had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination and was suicidal. However, two Israeli security sources later told Reuters that no Iranian involvement had been found.
Saudi investigators are cooperating with the UAE, US, Oman, and Israel. The incident occurred in a geopolitically sensitive region, with the Strait of Hormuz closed and renewed conflict in Yemen. It also comes weeks before Israeli elections, with Netanyahu facing political pressure.