Archive · 1 Oct 2026
Netanyahu Praises Passengers Who Stopped Flydubai Cockpit Attack
A Flydubai plane was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv when a fight happened in the cockpit.
One pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar, was seriously hurt.
The plane then began diving toward the ground.
Machchhar opened the cockpit door before collapsing, according to accounts cited by the articles.
Passenger Yaniv Hayoun entered and held the alleged attacker away from the controls.
Other passengers and crew helped restrain the attacker and stabilize the aircraft.
The plane landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, instead of continuing to Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later praised the people who helped.
Officials and passengers said the reason for the alleged attack was still unclear.
Captain Smit Machchhar was seriously injured after an alleged mid-air cockpit attack on a Flydubai flight.
Passenger Yaniv Hayoun said he entered the cockpit, restrained the alleged attacker and pulled him away from the controls.
Passengers and crew helped stabilize the aircraft after it reportedly plunged sharply, with accounts differing on the altitude loss.
The Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and landed safely.
Benjamin Netanyahu praised Machchhar, Hayoun and others, saying their actions prevented a possible catastrophe.
- Who
- Captain Smit Machchhar, passenger Yaniv Hayoun, other passengers and crew members, and an alleged Omani attacker were involved; Benjamin Netanyahu later praised the interveners.
- What
- An alleged cockpit attack injured one pilot and was followed by a sharp descent, before passengers and crew restrained the alleged attacker and helped restore control.
- When
- The incident occurred on a Wednesday during a Flydubai flight; the exact date was not provided.
- Where
- The flight was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv before diverting to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- Why
- The alleged attacker was reported to have tried to disable the aircraft or crash it, but the motive remained unclear.
- Airline
- Flydubai
- Flight route
- Dubai to Tel Aviv
- Emergency landing
- Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
- Passenger credited with intervention
- Yaniv Hayoun
- Injured pilot
- Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national
- Reported passengers
- One account said 174 people were aboard; another said the flight included 27 children
- Security response
- Netanyahu ordered authorities to increase security on Israeli and non-Israeli carriers
Sources
Grabbed 'Terrorist', Choked Him: Passenger On Subduing flydubai Stabber
Indian pilot prevented what could have been a 9/11: Netanyahu
‘We are a nation of lions’: Israeli man who stormed into cockpit, held attacker pilot in chokehold, tells Netanyahu