Flydubai Hijack Scare: Indian Captain Saves 174 Lives

Last updated: 1 October 2026

A routine morning flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv turned into an international security scare on 30 September 2026, when flydubai flight FZ1073 transmitted hijack emergency codes, prompted Israel to scramble fighter jets, and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. At the centre of the story is an Indian hero — Captain Smit Machchhar, a Mumbai native who was stabbed mid-air by his own co-pilot yet fought back to save 174 lives.

Here is the full story of what happened on flight FZ1073 — the timeline, the cockpit fight, and what world leaders and officials have said.

What Happened on Flydubai Flight FZ1073

Flight FZ1073, a flydubai Boeing 737 service from Dubai to Tel Aviv, took off from Dubai at around 6:05 am local time on Wednesday morning, according to a timeline published by NDTV. The flight was carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children, most of them Israeli citizens, according to The Hindu.

About two hours into the flight, while the aircraft was over Saudi Arabia, violence erupted in the cockpit. Flight-tracking data showed the plane plunging nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds — reportedly reaching close to the speed of sound — a violent descent that immediately set off alarm bells among aviation watchers on the ground.

Then came the emergency signals. At 8:31 am, the flight transmitted squawk code 7700 — the international transponder code for a general in-flight emergency. Minutes later, it transmitted squawk code 7500, the code reserved for suspected unlawful interference — in plain language, a possible hijacking. The aircraft later switched back to 7700, according to Flightradar24.

The Cockpit Fight: Indian Captain Smit Machchhar Stabbed

The truth, when it emerged, was stranger than a conventional hijacking. The co-pilot — reported by Israeli outlet Ynet, cited by The Hindu, to be an Omani national — allegedly stabbed the captain, Smit Machchhar, with a knife and tried to seize control of the aircraft to crash it.

One passenger described the ordeal on Israeli television, as reported by Le Monde: “We experienced a sudden shutdown, a loss of the plane’s electrical system, the multimedia system, everything. Then there were screams: ‘Stabbings, stabbings, blood, blood.'” Several passengers rushed toward the cockpit, where the co-pilot had just stabbed the captain.

“Three or four people saved 180 people,” the passenger said, describing how a handful of travellers helped overpower the attacker and regain control of the aircraft.

Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, Captain Machchhar fought back. A dentist travelling as a passenger treated him mid-flight — telling CNN the captain had suffered massive blood loss and had been severely wounded, and that a few more moments would have cost him his life, according to Indian Republic World.

The plane turned around over Saudi Arabia. At around 9:45 am local time, FZ1073 touched down safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The airport said it had received the distress call at 8:44 am and declared a full state of emergency. Both pilots were taken to hospital. The passengers were later flown on to Israel aboard a replacement flydubai aircraft, landing at Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday evening.

Who Is Captain Smit Machchhar?

Captain Smit Machchhar is a Mumbai native with more than 13 years of commercial flying experience and close to 9,750 flying hours, all on the Boeing 737, according to The Economic Times. He spent over 11 years at SpiceJet (June 2011 to June 2022), where he rose to become a Line Training Captain — a role in which senior pilots personally train and check other pilots before they are cleared to fly solo. He joined flydubai as a Direct Entry Captain in June 2022 and has been based in Dubai since, flying the airline’s 737 fleet.

A senior pilot who worked with him at SpiceJet described him to PTI as a “good person” with a steady temperament under pressure.

What Leaders Said: Official Statements and Reactions

Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel

In a video message and a statement posted on X through the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu named Captain Machchhar and hailed him as a “true hero”:

“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.”

Netanyahu told CNN separately that the captain had prevented a disaster on the scale of the 11 September 2001 attacks. In a Fox News interview, he confirmed passengers had stormed the cockpit and overpowered the co-pilot after he attacked the captain and pushed the Boeing 737, carrying more than 170 people, into a steep dive. “He obviously hated Israelis,” Netanyahu said of the attacker, adding it was too early to say whether Iran was behind the attack.

The Prime Minister also met Yaniv Hayun, the Israeli passenger who helped subdue the attacker. Bloodstains still on his shirt, Hayun apologised for his clothes — Netanyahu replied: “I see a lion, I see a great hero,” adding, “This is the respect, you are the respect, you are the hero, how did you do this?” according to The Indian Express.

Earlier, Netanyahu’s office had said: “The incident is under control, and all measures are currently being deployed in order to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel.”

Embassy of India in Riyadh (official post on X)

India’s Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General of India in Jeddah said they were closely monitoring Captain Machchhar’s condition. In a statement posted on X:

“We are in touch with his family and assure them that we will continue to follow up on his health with Saudi authorities and extend all possible assistance for his well-being.”

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“We hope that he recovers from his injuries at the earliest.”

The mission said the pilot is admitted to a hospital in Tabuk and receiving necessary medical treatment, with initial reports indicating he is stable.

flydubai (official airline statement)

flydubai confirmed the incident in an official statement:

“An altercation occurred in the flight deck of flight FZ 1073, operating from Dubai International (DXB) to Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV), on 30 September.”

“All passengers and crew are safe and accounted for.”

The airline said the aircraft was secured by on-duty flydubai crew travelling on the flight, who diverted and landed it safely at Tabuk, and that two replacement aircraft were deployed. Importantly, the airline has not publicly confirmed the stabbing or terror-attack allegations:

“At this early stage, the underlying reasons and motives behind this event are unknown and remain subject to a formal investigation. We urge all parties to refrain from premature speculation while authorities gather the facts.”

flydubai has suspended its flights to and from Israel while the investigation continues, according to Gulf Business and The Economic Times.

UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA)

The UAE’s aviation regulator described the incident as “a security incident that was brought under control”, saying “the safety and security of passengers and crew members remain its top priorities”. Its investigation teams are examining the causes and circumstances, and the authority urged the public not to circulate unofficial information. The UAE prosecutor general has also ordered an investigation, according to the Emirati state news agency.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s National Security Minister

Ben-Gvir called it a foiled terrorist attack, claiming a “terrorist” had wanted to crash the aircraft and kill the Israelis on board.

Why Code 7500 Triggered Fighter Jets

To understand the drama, it helps to know what these transponder codes mean. Every aircraft broadcasts a four-digit “squawk” code to air traffic control radar:

• 7500 — unlawful interference (hijacking or attempted hijacking)
• 7600 — radio communication failure
• 7700 — general emergency

A 7500 squawk is treated by every air force in the world as a potential hijack in progress. Because FZ1073 was flying the Dubai–Tel Aviv route, the alert went straight to Israeli defence authorities, who scrambled fighter jets toward the aircraft (turned back before entering Saudi airspace, according to NDTV). Israeli airspace was temporarily closed as a precaution and reopened after the plane landed safely. For several minutes, all contact with the aircraft was lost — the tensest phase of the whole incident.

What Indian Travellers Should Take Away

For Indian travellers, the FZ1073 incident carries a few practical lessons:

• Dubai transit flyers take note: Thousands of Indians transit through Dubai every week. If you hold bookings on Gulf–Israel sectors, check your airline’s advisories before flying — flydubai has currently suspended its Israel services.
• Expect advisories, not panic: A single incident rarely grounds a route permanently, but airlines issue travel waivers or schedule tweaks after security scares. Check flydubai’s official website for the latest updates.
• Keep bookings flexible: On sensitive routes, prefer refundable fares and flexible hotel bookings — exactly the caution we advised in our Air India Delhi to Tel Aviv flights schedule explainer.

Read our overview of India’s newest international direct flight routes to see how new connections are opening up, and the Goa–Dubai daily flights update for the latest on India–UAE air connectivity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Who is Captain Smit Machchhar?
Captain Smit Machchhar is the Indian (Mumbai native) captain of flydubai flight FZ1073. With 13+ years of experience and nearly 9,750 flying hours, formerly a Line Training Captain at SpiceJet, he was stabbed by his co-pilot mid-air on 30 September 2026 yet fought back and helped save all 174 people on board.

Q2. What happened on flydubai flight FZ1073?
On 30 September 2026, the Dubai to Tel Aviv flight transmitted emergency codes 7700 and 7500 over Saudi Arabia after the Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed Captain Machchhar and tried to crash the plane. Passengers and crew overpowered the attacker, and the plane landed safely at Tabuk airport, Saudi Arabia.

Q3. What did Netanyahu say about the Indian pilot?
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Captain Machchhar a “true hero”, saying that despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, opened the cockpit door and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — “preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster” and saving 174 lives.

Q4. What has flydubai officially confirmed?
flydubai confirmed “an altercation occurred in the flight deck of flight FZ 1073”, that all passengers and crew are safe, and that the motives remain under formal investigation. The airline has suspended Israel flights during the investigation and urged against premature speculation.

Q5. Is the Dubai to Tel Aviv route operating now?
flydubai has suspended its Israel services while the investigation continues. Check the airline’s official website for the latest status before booking.

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Sources

• The Hindu — “Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu hails Indian pilot Smit Machchhar wounded in diverted flydubai flight” (1 October 2026): https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/israeli-pm-hails-indian-pilot-wounded-in-diverted-flydubai-flight/article71530244.ece
• The Hindu — “Co-pilot stabs pilot: What happened on Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv?” (1 October 2026): https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/what-happened-on-flydubai-flight-from-dubai-to-tel-aviv/article71531333.ece
• The Indian Express — “‘I see a lion’: Netanyahu hails Israeli man who helped pilot in flydubai scare” (1 October 2026): https://indianexpress.com/article/world/benjamin-netanyahu-hails-israel-man-yaniv-hayun-who-helped-flydubai-pilot-in-midair-scare-10901540/
• The Indian Express — “Flydubai FZ1073: Pilot stabbed on Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, plane lands in Saudi Arabia” (1 October 2026): https://indianexpress.com/article/world/flydubai-flight-from-dubai-to-tel-aviv-diverted-israeli-pm-netanyahu-holds-meeting-10900279/
• The Economic Times — “Who is Smit Machchhar? Indian flydubai captain who saved 174 lives” (1 October 2026): https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/who-is-smit-machchhar-indian-flydubai-captain-who-saved-180-lives-despite-his-co-pilot-stabbed-him-with-a-knife-inside-the-cockpit-during-flight/articleshow/134606164.cms?from=mdr
• Gulf Business — “flydubai suspends flights to Israel after altercation on board” (1 October 2026): https://gulfbusiness.com/en/2026/aviation/flydubai-flight-from-dubai-to-israel-safely-diverted-to-saudis-tabuk-airport/
• Gulf News — “Flydubai Flight FZ1073 Diverted to Saudi Arabia After Cockpit Altercation” (1 October 2026): https://gulfnews.com/business/aviation/flydubai-fz1073-what-happened-on-board-and-what-we-know-so-far-1.500694593
• NDTV — “Dentist, Off-Roster Pilots, Bravery: What Saved 180 Aboard flydubai Plane” (1 October 2026): https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/flydubai-flight-hijack-saudi-arabia-israel-fz1073-dentist-off-roster-pilots-bravery-what-saved-180-aboard-flydubai-plane-12120818
• Le Monde — “What we know about the attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv” (30 September 2026): https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2026/09/30/what-we-know-about-the-attempted-hijacking-of-a-flydubai-flight-to-tel-aviv_6758116_4.html
• The Times (UK) — “Hero Flydubai passengers headed off Israel’s 9/11, Netanyahu says” (1 October 2026): https://www.thetimes.com/world/middle-east/article/israel-plane-attack-nnzqlvn5h
• Indian Embassy in Riyadh — official statement on X (1 October 2026), via AP7AM: https://www.ap7am.com/en/136767/injured-flydubai-pilot-stable-indian-mission-in-saudi-arabia