Heroic passengers on a Tel Aviv-bound flight prevented a “major disaster” by storming the cockpit and tying up the knife-wielding co-pilot who tried to crash the jet, according to Israeli authorities.
The incident, which has been called a “terror attack” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, happened on Wednesday morning onboard the Tel Aviv-bound Flydubai flight FZ1073 around two hours after take-off.
According to passenger accounts, the co-pilot stabbed the pilot, causing the plane to plummet 20,000 feet in two minutes.
The bleeding pilot, named by Netanyahu as Captain Smit Machchhar, managed to push open the cabin door before collapsing, showing “extraordinary bravery”.
Captain Smit Machchhar (photo...LinkedIn)[Missing Credit]
One of the passengers who entered the cockpit has revealed how he, along with two others, used cable ties to subdue the attacker after the pilot was stabbed at 35,000 feet.
Tzvika Manes, who was onboard with his wife and child, is one of those who helped restrain the attacker. After gaining entry into the cockpit with the help of a steward, he leapt into action.
“We immediately jumped in and pulled him out,” Manes told Israeli National News.
“We eventually tied him up and neutralised him. It took quite a lot of physical force. He [was] a strong man; he was probably running on adrenaline,” he said, adding that he was “covered in blood”.
While Manes and the two others were subduing the attacker, other passengers attended to the wounded pilot, as seen in videos released.
“He had been stabbed all over his body,” recalled Manes.
Netanyahu said of the attack: “I spoke with one of the Israeli passengers. He told me that the aircraft went into a spin and began to plunge. He told me that, one way or another, he managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members, and together they neutralised the stabbing pilot while he was trying to sabotage the aircraft’s systems...
“I salute these heroes, who displayed extraordinary resourcefulness and courage. They saved many lives. They prevented a major disaster.”
Two off-duty pilots who were on the plane and were reportedly due to fly a subsequent flight managed to enter the cockpit and take control of the plane, landing it in Tabuk Regional Airport, Saudi Arabia.
All 174 passengers are now safe and accounted for, as are four of the six crew – the other two, the injured pilot and co-pilot, who is believed to have been the attacker) are in hospital.
Speaking to Hebrew media, another passenger said: “We heard screams on the plane. Then they opened the cockpit, and we saw blood, and someone had stabbed the pilot with a pocketknife.
“There were also moments when we thought we weren’t going to make it out alive.”
Another said: “The entire cockpit was covered in blood. The Israeli guys took control of the situation and caught the attacker.
"We were either going to crash or be murdered. It was like a terrorist attack in mid-air."
And a third recounted: “Screams began on the plane… by passengers who realised what was happening. We understand that one of the pilots was stabbed and seriously wounded, and they lost control of the plane... it was very scary.”
Passenger testimony from the Flydubai flight: pic.twitter.com/1bcQR89HB5
— Emily Schrader - אמילי שריידר امیلی شریدر (@emilykschrader) September 30, 2026
The plane, which was carrying around 100 Israeli passengers, transmitted a squawk 7700 emergency code, followed by a 7500 code, which signals unlawful interference with the operation of the aircraft, though it later reverted to the original code.
Benjamin Netanyahu paid tribute to Captain Smit Machchhar on Wednesday night.
He said in a statement: “My salute to the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery.
“Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster.
“He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals.
“I wish Captain Machchhar a speedy and full recovery.
“He is a true hero.”
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said: “The serious incident aboard the Flydubai aircraft was an attempted jihadist terrorist attack, which was thwarted only thanks to the bravery of several Israeli passengers who broke into the cockpit, overpowered the terrorist, and with their own hands returned control of the aircraft to an additional flight crew that was present there.
“According to the preliminary information in our possession, the terrorist had one intention: to crash the aircraft with all its passengers aboard.”
[Missing Credit]
Videos from the plane circulating on social media show a man, covered in blood, lying on the floor with passengers attending to him.
One passenger, Almog Itali, told the media that two passengers sitting at the back of the plane were pilots who were due to be operating a subsequent flight.
Itali said the pair managed to stabilise the plane and ultimately landed it in Saudi Arabia.
It has been confirmed that the flight had an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia at 6.44am BST, with all passengers safe and accounted for, according to the airline.
The captain and co-pilot are currently said to be receiving medical attention in a Saudi hospital.
Describing what happened prior, Itali said: “There are quite a few versions... What is clear is that there were two pilots in the front - one stabbed the other.”
Before control of the flight was regained, the plane plummeted 17,000 feet within two minutes.
The rapid descent triggered an emergency response, and air traffic control cleared the airspace for the flight to land at Tabuk Airport.
A spokesperson for Flydubai, said: “Flydubai can confirm that flight FZ 1073 operating from Dubai International (DXB) to Ben-Gurion Airport (TLV) on 30 September experienced an incident while enroute.
“The aircraft has landed safely at Tabuk (TUU), and all passengers are safe and accounted for.
“The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority. Our teams are working closely with the relevant authorities. Further updates will be issued as additional confirmed details become available.”
Other accounts from passengers on the ground say they are “being treated well” by the Saudis, and being “looked after”.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the Israeli Air Force had prepared to intervene, writing at the time: “The incident is under control, and all measures are currently being deployed in order to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel,” a spokesperson said.
“Following concerns of an aviation incident, Netanyahu held discussions on the matter and followed the developments.
“The incident is under control, and we are now using all means available to bring the Israeli passengers safely to Israel.
“Following situation assessments and passenger testimony, Israeli authorities are treating the incident as a terror attack in every respect
“It appears that the copilot repeatedly stabbed the captain.
“Once the incident began, crew members and numerous passengers managed to breach the cockpit door and overpower the terrorist.”
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