A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv faced a serious emergency on Wednesday. One of the pilots was allegedly attacked and stabbed by his colleague during the flight. The Boeing 737 was carrying passengers to Tel Aviv when the incident took place. The aircraft then went into a steep descent before making an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The injured pilot has been identified as Indian national Smit Machchhar. He is from Mumbai and was reportedly the pilot in command of Flydubai flight FZ1073. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said in a video message that the pilot who attacked his colleague wanted to crash the aircraft. Following the incident, Flydubai said its crew members secured the aircraft. They then diverted the flight and landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Both pilots were taken to a hospital after the landing. Machchhar underwent surgery and is now in stable condition, according to sources.

Flight diversion initially raises hijacking fears

The incident first triggered fears of a possible hijacking. Flight-tracking data showed that Flydubai flight FZ1073 had diverted from its route. The aircraft also declared an emergency while flying towards Tel Aviv. The Boeing 737 MAX turned towards northern Saudi Arabia after the emergency signal was transmitted. Soon after, reports emerged that Israeli Air Force fighter jets had been scrambled. The move was reportedly linked to concerns that the aircraft could have been hijacked. However, the situation was later clarified. A spokesperson for Netanyahu said the incident was not a hijacking. The Israeli Air Force has yet to provide an official comment on reports about the fighter jets.

Pilot altercation triggers emergency signal

The emergency was reportedly linked to a physical fight inside the cockpit. According to Hebrew media outlet Ynet, Flydubai confirmed that an altercation between the two pilots triggered the signal indicating possible unlawful interference. The aircraft briefly transmitted a code normally associated with a possible security threat. This happened while the plane was travelling towards Israel. The situation was later understood to have resulted from the confrontation between the pilots.

Indian pilot identified as Smit Machchhar

Machchhar was reportedly the pilot in command of the flight. He was allegedly attacked by the co-pilot during the journey. The co-pilot reportedly intended to bring down the aircraft. The attack forced the crew to take immediate action. Despite the dangerous situation, the aircraft was eventually brought under control. It was diverted to Tabuk Airport, where it landed safely. Both pilots received medical treatment after landing. Machchhar underwent surgery for his injuries and was later reported to be in stable condition. The incident is now under investigation as authorities work to establish exactly what happened inside the cockpit and what led to the confrontation.