Omani co-pilot who attempted to crash Flydubai flight arrested by Saudi authorities

New Delhi: Saudi authorities have arrested an Omani co-pilot who allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to crash a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The incident occurred mid-flight when the co-pilot attacked the captain with a knife inside the cockpit. The aircraft subsequently plunged roughly 17,400 feet in less than two minutes.

Passengers and crew members, including off-duty pilots, entered the cockpit and subdued the attacker after the captain opened the door. The identity of the copilot has not been revealed yet. Two off-duty pilots, identified as a Russian and a Ukrainian, then took control of the aircraft and helped fly it to Tabuk Regional Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Both the captain and co-pilot were taken to a local hospital after the emergency landing, Saudi officials confirmed to Israel Hayom. According to the Israeli daily, the Omani co-pilot had worked for Flydubai for only nine months.

The crew initially activated the emergency transponder code 7700 before switching to code 7500, the international signal indicating an active hijacking. The alert prompted the aircraft to divert to Tabuk. Emergency responders rushed the two injured pilots to hospital after the aircraft landed. A multinational coordination centre was activated following the hijacking alert, involving defence officials from Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Jordan was also kept informed, while Saudi and Jordanian fighter jets were reportedly scrambled to secure the surrounding airspace. The regional coordination was carried out under pre-established joint defence protocols involving the US Central Command.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz described the incident as a severe security incident and a suspected terrorist attack. Netanyahu praised Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, for his actions during the incident. He said Machchhar had shown extraordinary courage and saved the lives of the 174 people on board the Israel-bound flight.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised Machchhar's courage, saying the captain showed immense bravery and unwavering determination to protect others' lives despite being seriously injured. Meanwhile, Israel's Transportation Minister Miri Regev suspended Flydubai operations to Israel and ordered an inquiry into possible breaches of bilateral aviation agreements. The circumstances and motive behind the co-pilot's alleged attack remain under investigation.