Flydubai Cockpit Stabbing Motive Unknown as International Probe Launched

The flydubai cockpit stabbing aboard Flight FZ1073 on Wednesday plunged global
aviation into crisis mode after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to crash
the Dubai–Tel
Aviv jet. The Boeing 737 lost around 17,000 feet of altitude before passengers and crew forced
their way into the flight deck, overpowered the attacker, and the aircraft made an emergency landing
in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The United Arab Emirates has now launched an international investigation,
while the motive behind the attack remains unknown.

FAKTA: the flydubai cockpit stabbing at a glance

How the attack unfolded in the flydubai cockpit

Flight FZ1073 left Dubai around 7:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, bound for Tel Aviv — a routine
early-morning sector that turned violent about two and a half hours later, while the jet cruised over
Jordanian airspace. According to accounts cited by Israeli officials and carried by international
media, the co-pilot attacked Captain Machchhar with a blade — witnesses described a pocketknife —
striking him repeatedly and attempting to wrest control of the aircraft.

The struggle sent the Boeing 737 into a steep dive. Flight-tracking data cited in reports showed
the jet plunging roughly 17,000 feet in minutes while its transponder first squawked 7700, the code
for a general emergency, and then 7500 — the internationally recognised signal for unlawful
interference. Despite serious stab wounds, Captain Machchhar fought back and managed to open the
reinforced cockpit door.

A crew member and several passengers forced their way in and physically restrained the attacker.
With the flight deck secured, a second pair of flydubai pilots who happened to be travelling on
board took control of the aircraft and steadied it — a twist of fate that likely saved everyone on
board.

Emergency landing at Tabuk: passengers reach Israel safely

The crew diverted to Prince Sultan Bin Abdel Aziz Airport in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia —
a joint civilian-military airfield — where the jet landed safely. Both pilots were taken to hospital
in Tabuk, and the co-pilot was arrested by Saudi authorities and is being questioned.

More than ten hours later, a flydubai replacement aircraft carried the shaken passengers to Ben
Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Several described the outcome as a miracle. “It was awful, crazy, and we
thank God that we survived it,” passenger Lital Shachaf said on arrival. Israeli 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”.

Among the passengers credited with helping subdue the attacker was Yaniv Hayun, whom Netanyahu
publicly praised, while another passenger, Asaf Rajuan, recounted joining the rush into the cockpit.
Israel’s ambulance service said a 51-year-old man was taken to an Israeli hospital with mild
upper-body injuries. Israeli officials also announced tighter identity checks for pilots operating
flights into the country.

International probe launched — motive still unknown

On Thursday, the UAE issued its first
official statement on the scare. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Attorney-General Counsellor
Dr Hamad Al Shamsi had ordered the formation of a team of specialised Public Prosecution members to
investigate the circumstances and causes of the incident. The probe will examine all angles, including
any possible connection to terrorist activity and whether the attack involved prior planning or
direction.

The ministry affirmed that the UAE’s judicial authorities have jurisdiction because the aircraft
is registered in the UAE and flies under its flag — meaning UAE law applies to crimes committed on
board even outside the country’s territory. It thanked the Saudi authorities for their cooperation
and urged the public to rely on official sources and avoid speculation until the investigation is
complete.

Israel’s Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, said he was hopeful for close cooperation between
Israel, the UAE and Saudi Arabia under the Abraham Accords, including intelligence sharing from the
investigation and the aircraft’s black box. Two Israeli officials, speaking anonymously to Reuters,
described their current assessment as an attempted terror attack rather than a mental-health episode
— but the motive officially remains under investigation, and flydubai said it would not speculate
while inquiries continue.

India’s government has stood firmly behind its pilot. Ambassador Deepak Mittal and Consul General
Vishnu Vardhan Reddy met Captain Machchhar’s family in Dubai to convey full support, and the Indian
embassy in Riyadh confirmed he was in stable condition. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal saluted his
courage, saying India was “immensely proud” of the captain’s bravery.

What happens next

Aviation investigators in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Israel are now piecing together the cockpit
voice and flight data recorders, the attacker’s background and the sequence of events that nearly
ended in catastrophe. For now, the central question behind the flydubai cockpit stabbing — why the
co-pilot attacked — has no confirmed answer. Watan News will continue to follow this developing
story; read more world news.