Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has released new details of a near-disaster that occurred during a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The incident involved an Omani co-pilot who stabbed the Indian captain with a knife, causing the aircraft to plummet nearly 4,300 meters in less than 30 seconds before passengers and crew members managed to stabilize the plane and land it safely in Saudi Arabia.
According to Netanyahu, Indian pilot Smith Machchar, wounded by the attack, opened the cockpit door after the assault. Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayoun, a plumber, entered the cockpit and discovered that the Omani co-pilot was attempting to interfere with aircraft controls. The plumber pulled the steering wheel toward himself while another passenger and crew member subdued the attacker. Backup pilots then joined in to stabilize the aircraft.
Netanyahu stated he met Hayoun at the airport, where the passenger was covered in blood from Machchar. He also confirmed that the suspect co-pilot had been arrested by Saudi authorities and that the UAE agreed for Israel to participate in his interrogation.
The incident unfolded approximately two hours after takeoff when the Boeing 737 Max aircraft experienced sharp turbulence and transmitted emergency distress signals followed by an illegal interference signal, indicating a possible hijacking. After briefly entering Jordanian airspace, the plane turned 180 degrees and headed toward Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed.
Unconfirmed photographs of the aircraft after landing show damage to the vertical stabilizer, including a missing rudder—a result of the violent maneuver at high speed.
Netanyahu emphasized that almost all passengers on the flight were Israelis, and he praised those who intervened for “showing exceptional resourcefulness and courage.” He also noted that investigators have no specific information indicating Iran’s involvement in the incident.
Assaf Rajwan, one of the passengers, described his experience: “We felt helpless, suspended in the air, and I didn’t know who to turn to. But everything depended on instinct, on the desire to survive.”
A video shot inside the plane by dentist Shota Musaev, who assisted the captain, shows the co-pilot on his knees with hands tied behind his back.
The incident occurred during Netanyahu’s re-election campaign, where he has pledged to tighten security measures for his 10 million citizens. A near-miss hijacking attempt has been noted as potentially influencing undecided voters, though his main rivals also prioritize security against Iran and its allies.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have confirmed that investigations are ongoing, but Saudi Arabia’s lack of official diplomatic relations with Israel could complicate a joint inquiry. Captain Machchar is in stable condition at a hospital in Tabuk, according to Indian officials, while the co-pilot’s condition remains unclear.
