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Israel is now examining if the Flydubai flight cockpit attack was intended to be a disaster similar to US' 9/11 terror operation. Flight FZ1073, a Boeing
737 MAX 8 carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children, was flying towards Israel on Wednesday when chaos erupted inside the cockpit. According to Israeli officials, the Omani co-pilot stabbed the Indian-origin captain, tried to seize control of the aircraft and sought to deliberately crash the jet.
The motive remains under investigation.
The aircraft's dramatic movements in the sky quickly raised alarm. Flight-tracking data showed the jet plunging from its cruising altitude of around 34,000 feet to nearly 17,000 feet in a matter of seconds before recovering. At one point, the aircraft transmitted squawk code 7700, signalling a general emergency, and later switched to 7500 - the internationally recognised code for a possible hijacking.
The emergency unfolded over Saudi Arabia and near Jordanian airspace. Israel immediately scrambled its fighter jets as authorities tried to determine whether the aircraft had been hijacked or was under terrorist attack.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident as a grave security event. Hailing the Indian-origin pilot Smit Machchhar, Netanyahu described how the wounded captain managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing crew members and passengers to intervene.
Several Israeli passengers then rushed into the cockpit and helped overpower the co-pilot. A doctor and nurse travelling on the flight provided first aid to the injured captain while the struggle was still unfolding.
Adding to the extraordinary sequence of events, off-duty Flydubai pilots travelling as passengers on the aircraft stepped in after the attack. They assumed control of the Boeing 737 and safely diverted it to Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Both pilots were later taken to hospital and the Omani national was later arrested.
The aircraft landed safely, averting what could have become one of the deadliest aviation incidents involving Israel in recent years.
No passengers suffered serious injuries, although some were reportedly bleeding and several required medical attention after landing. Israeli emergency responders later said none required urgent hospitalisation.
Israel is now examining if the attacker intended to turn a commercial passenger aircraft into a weapon, in a possible "9/11-style" attack.
An Israeli security official told international media that authorities were investigating whether the co-pilot acted alone or as part of a broader plot.
The comparison stems not only from the alleged attempt to crash the aircraft but also from the fact that the flight was headed to Tel Aviv, Israel's commercial hub, carrying mostly Israeli passengers.
Investigators are now examining the co-pilot's background, communications and possible affiliations. As of Thursday, no organisation had claimed responsibility and no evidence linking the incident to a terror group had been publicly released.
Flydubai Confirms 'Serious Cockpit Incident', UAE Launches Probe
Flydubai has confirmed that a serious incident occurred in the cockpit but has urged caution against speculation while investigations continue. The UAE's civil aviation authority has also launched a probe. Saudi authorities, who took custody of the co-pilot after the emergency landing, are conducting their own investigation in coordination with other agencies.
The incident has also highlighted the strategic importance of the Dubai-Tel Aviv route, one of the most visible outcomes of the Abraham Accords that normalised relations between the UAE and Israel in 2020. Aviation experts say the case is likely to trigger fresh reviews of cockpit security, crew vetting procedures and emergency response protocols on flights serving Israel.
After Saudi Arabia declined an Israeli request to send military aircraft to retrieve the stranded passengers, Flydubai arranged a replacement aircraft. That rescue flight later landed safely at Ben Gurion Airport. Israeli authorities are expected to question passengers and crew members in the coming days as investigators attempt to reconstruct exactly what happened inside the cockpit of FZ1073.
