By Peace Udugba — The Daily Torch Media
A Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 operating Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after a violent altercation in the cockpit reportedly left both pilots injured.
Indian media have identified the captain as Smit Machchhar, an Indian national who has reportedly served as a Flydubai Boeing 737 captain since 2022. However, Flydubai has not publicly confirmed the identities or nationalities of the pilots.
According to reports citing Israeli officials, the first officer allegedly stabbed the captain during the confrontation. Passengers reportedly heard screams and later saw blood after the cockpit door opened.
Video circulating from the aircraft appears to show both pilots outside the flight deck receiving oxygen, while passengers and crew attended to them. Blood was also reportedly visible in the galley area outside the cockpit.
Saudi authorities confirmed that both pilots were injured and taken to hospital after the aircraft landed in Tabuk.
A passenger quoted by Reuters said one pilot appeared seriously injured while the other sustained less serious injuries. However, the assessment has not been independently verified, and there was no confirmed public medical update on Machchhar’s condition at the time of reporting.
Aircraft Makes Dramatic Descent
The incident was accompanied by a dramatic change in the aircraft’s altitude.
According to Flightradar24 data cited by Reuters, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 descended by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before the first emergency signal was transmitted.
The aircraft subsequently transmitted the 7700 general emergency code before switching several minutes later to 7500, the transponder code associated with unlawful interference.
The precise connection between the sudden descent and the cockpit confrontation remains unclear.
Cabin crew and passengers reportedly entered the flight deck and intervened. Some passengers were said to have helped restrain the alleged attacker, while additional pilots travelling as passengers reportedly assisted in stabilising the aircraft and completing the emergency landing.
Fighter Jets Reportedly Scrambled
The 7500 transmission triggered a major security response in Israel, with Israeli media reporting that fighter jets were scrambled amid initial concerns that the aircraft had been hijacked.
Reuters reported that an Israeli official identified the alleged attacker as an Omani national. However, conflicting reports have emerged concerning the nationalities of the two pilots.
Israeli officials have also offered differing assessments of the incident. Reuters reported that some Israeli officials believe the incident may have been an attempted terror attack, while earlier statements from the Israeli prime minister’s office indicated that it was not believed to be a conventional hijacking.
Claims that the first officer may have attempted to crash the aircraft have also been reported, but the circumstances, motive and sequence of events remain under investigation.
Aircraft Lands Safely in Tabuk
The aircraft eventually diverted to Tabuk, where it landed safely.
Saudi airport authorities reportedly received the distress call at about 8:44 a.m. local time, with the aircraft landing at approximately 9:45 a.m.
Both injured pilots were subsequently transported to hospital.
Images taken after landing also appear to show significant damage to the aircraft’s tail, including a substantial section of the rudder reportedly missing. The cause and timing of the damage have not been independently established.
Flydubai confirmed that an altercation occurred in the flight deck and said the aircraft was secured by on-duty crew travelling on the flight.
The airline said all passengers and crew were safe and accounted for and urged against premature speculation while authorities investigate the incident.
Flydubai also dispatched two aircraft to assist passengers affected by the diversion.
The investigation into the cockpit confrontation, the pilots’ injuries, the aircraft’s sudden descent and the reported tail damage is ongoing.
Sources: Reuters, Associated Press, Hindustan Times, Saudi authorities, Flydubai and Israeli media.
