Passengers help secure Flydubai flight after cockpit altercation and rapid descent

Passengers and crew helped secure a Flydubai aircraft after an altercation in the cockpit caused a rapid descent over Saudi Arabia, according to officials and eyewitness accounts. Flight FZ1073 left Dubai at 7.05am on Wednesday carrying 174 people and was bound for Tel Aviv. About two and a half hours into the journey, tracking data showed the aircraft lose more than 20,000 feet within minutes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said one pilot had stabbed the other and apparently tried to crash the plane. Passengers and crew members then entered the cockpit and restrained the attacker, allowing another crew member to take control. The injured pilot, identified as Indian national Smit Machchhar, was taken to hospital and reported to be stable.

Officials said he managed to open the cockpit door despite being wounded, enabling passengers to enter. The aircraft was diverted to Tabuk in north-western Saudi Arabia and landed safely. Flydubai said an altercation had occurred in the flight deck and that on-duty crew travelling on the flight secured the aircraft and diverted it.

The airline said the reasons for the incident remained unknown and warned against premature speculation. Saudi authorities arrested the alleged attacker. Netanyahu said it was too early to say who was behind the incident or whether Iran was involved.

Israel’s defence minister described it as an attempted jihadist terror attack, but the prime minister did not identify a motive. The passengers later reached Tel Aviv on a replacement flight.