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Flydubai Co-Pilot Stabs Pilot, Plane Saves All 174

By Drooid · Oct 2, 2026, 6:04 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Omani Co-pilot Stabs

An Omani co-pilot stabbed Indian captain Smit Machchhar on a flydubai Boeing 737-Max to Israel.
The plane plunged roughly 17,000 ft before passengers accessed the cockpit.
Captain Smit Machchhar unlocked the cockpit door despite severe stab wounds.
Two off-duty flydubai pilots landed the aircraft at Tabuk Airport, saving all 174 aboard.

Summary

Netanyahu Orders Security

Opposition leaders Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman and Yair Golan issued a joint statement demanding an immediate investigation.
Politician Yair Lapid posted on X that incident was absent from security briefing and accused Netanyahu of politicising it.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered authorities to ramp up security on Israeli and foreign carriers following the Flydubai incident.

History

Historical Context

On 27 June 1976, members of the Revolutionary Cells hijacked Air France Flight 139, diverting it to Entebbe, Uganda, where Idi Amin supported the hijackers. Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Defense Minister Shimon Peres authorized a rescue, and on 3 July Sayeret Matkal commandos led by Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu freed 102 hostages in a 45-minute successful raid.

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Omani Co-pilot Stabs

An Omani co-pilot stabbed Indian captain Smit Machchhar on a flydubai Boeing 737-Max to Israel.
The plane plunged roughly 17,000 ft before passengers accessed the cockpit.
Captain Smit Machchhar unlocked the cockpit door despite severe stab wounds.
Two off-duty flydubai pilots landed the aircraft at Tabuk Airport, saving all 174 aboard.

1 / 3