Passengers Stormed the Cockpit After the Pilot Was Attacked — Then the Plane Began a Terrifying Descent

TEL AVIV — A routine flight to Israel turned into a terrifying midair struggle after a Flydubai co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain and attempted to take control of the aircraft, sending the Boeing 737 into a dramatic descent.

Flight 1073 was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 with more than 170 people aboard, most of them Israeli passengers.

According to Israeli officials and passengers, the crisis began when the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain inside the cockpit.

The aircraft then plunged thousands of feet in a matter of seconds, creating a situation passengers later described as a fight for survival.

The Captain Was Seriously Injured

The captain, identified by Israeli officials as Indian national Smit Machchhar, was seriously wounded during the confrontation.

Despite his injuries, officials said Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door.

That decision allowed passengers and other crew members to reach the cockpit and confront the alleged attacker.

Several Israeli passengers rushed forward and helped overpower the co-pilot.

Two off-duty Flydubai pilots who were traveling as passengers also became involved and helped regain control of the aircraft.

The aircraft eventually made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, rather than continuing toward Israel.

All passengers were later transported safely to Israel on another aircraft.

The Plane Lost Thousands of Feet

The most frightening part of the incident occurred while passengers were still struggling to understand what was happening.

Publicly available flight data showed the aircraft making a sharp descent from cruising altitude.

Reuters reported that the plane plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds during the emergency.

The aircraft eventually stabilized, allowing the additional pilots aboard to help bring it safely toward Saudi Arabia.

Witnesses described blood on the floor of the aircraft and passengers wearing oxygen masks as the emergency unfolded.

One passenger later described the experience as a moment when those aboard were unsure whether they would survive.

Investigators Are Examining the Co-Pilot’s Motive

Israeli authorities initially investigated whether the incident could have been a terrorist attack.

At the time, officials stressed that the motive was not immediately established.

That investigation has since focused on the co-pilot’s background and whether he acted alone.

CBS News reported on October 5 that Israeli investigators believed the attack may have been carried out by a lone actor, although the investigation remained ongoing. The suspect was being questioned in the United Arab Emirates.

Reuters reported October 6 that the co-pilot had previously spent several months in New Zealand completing part of his flight training. New Zealand police said they were reviewing records and conducting inquiries into his time there.

Authorities have not publicly established that his previous training was connected to the alleged attack.

A Disaster Was Narrowly Avoided

What prevented Flight 1073 from becoming a catastrophe was not a single action.

It was the combination of the wounded captain opening the cockpit door, passengers confronting the alleged attacker and additional pilots aboard the aircraft helping regain control.

The incident also triggered an emergency response involving Israeli and Saudi authorities.

Israeli fighter jets were reportedly scrambled as officials attempted to determine what was happening aboard the aircraft. The jets were later turned back after the plane diverted toward Saudi Arabia.

The captain survived the attack, and the passengers eventually reached Israel safely.

But the incident has left investigators with a much larger question: why did a trained commercial co-pilot allegedly turn on his fellow pilot and attempt to take control of a plane carrying more than 170 people?

That question remains at the center of the investigation.