Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have hailed the heroism of the pilot and passengers of a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. The flight, operated by flydubai, was rerouted after the co-pilot allegedly tried to crash the plane, forcing the pilot and passengers to take control. Netanyahu described the incident as an "attempted terrorist attack" and praised the Indian pilot, Smit Machchhar, for his bravery.
According to passengers, the plane suddenly plummeted, losing around 17,000 feet of altitude in just one minute, before the passengers rushed the cockpit and overpowered the co-pilot. The incident occurred on flydubai flight FZ 1073, which had 174 people on board, including 166 Israelis. The passengers described the scene as chaotic, with one passenger, Miryam Shira Ohayon, telling reporters that the plane was "pretty much out of control" as the incident unfolded.
The Indian embassy confirmed that Machchhar, the Indian pilot, was being treated at a hospital in Saudi Arabia. Modi praised Machchhar as a "HERO" in a social media post, saying he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others. Netanyahu also praised an Israeli passenger, Yanik, who helped overpower the attacker, describing him as a hero.
The incident has been described as an "attempted jihadist terror attack" by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, although he did not provide evidence for his claim. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he had spoken with his UAE counterpart, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and agreed to collaborate against extremist elements seeking to harm security and undermine stability.
The flight was diverted to Saudi Arabia's Tabuk Airport, which received a distress call from the plane. Passengers described the welcome they received in Saudi Arabia as "very warm", despite Israel having no formal ties with the Gulf kingdom. The airline, flydubai, said it was suspending flights to and from Israel pending an investigation into the incident.
The incident occurred months into a regional war that erupted in late February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran and just ahead of Israel's elections due at the end of October. Netanyahu said there were "indications" that Israel's enemies could try to attack ahead of elections, sparking accusations of "fear-mongering" from the opposition chief.
The passengers of the flight were eventually taken to Tel Aviv on another flydubai plane, where they were greeted by Netanyahu. The incident has raised concerns about air safety and security in the region, with US President Donald Trump describing the co-pilot as "perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack-job". The incident is under investigation.
Key points
- Israeli and Indian leaders praise heroes of Dubai-Tel Aviv flight that made emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after co-pilot allegedly tried to crash plane
- Incident described as "attempted terrorist attack" by Israeli officials, who praise bravery of pilot and passengers
- Flight diverted to Saudi Arabia after co-pilot allegedly tried to crash plane, passengers and pilot hailed as heroes
