Saudi Arabia Arrests Suspect After Flydubai Cockpit Stabbing on Tel Aviv Flight
60 sourcesUpdated Oct 2, 2026
Flydubai Flight 1073, carrying about 174 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv, plunged roughly 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds after its co-pilot allegedly stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar and tried to damage the flight controls. Despite serious injuries, Machchhar opened the cockpit door, and passengers, crew and other pilots subdued the co-pilot and helped regain control; the plane landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Machchhar later said he acted to save passengers, and Indian and Israeli leaders praised his actions. The co-pilot is in UAE custody as authorities investigate a possible terrorist motive; reports of online extremism and intent to crash the plane have not been definitively established by investigators.
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Glad Saudi Arabia acted fast to arrest the suspect after that cockpit stabbing on the Tel Aviv flight.
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