An attempted hijacking aboard a FlyDubai flight bound for Israel forced the aircraft to rapidly plunge 16,000 feet as passengers and crew members intervened to subdue the attacker, according to international aviation reports.
Mid-Air Cockpit Breach Forces 16,000-Foot Plunge
The flight, carrying approximately 170 passengers from the United Arab Emirates to Tel Aviv, ultimately landed safely in Saudi Arabia after off-duty pilots and crew members overpowered the assailant.
The incident unfolded mid-flight as the aircraft dropped from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in roughly one minute.
Inside the Cabin As Off-Duty Pilots Storm the Flight Deck
Video footage shared from inside the cabin showed a pilot with blood on his shirt receiving treatment in the aisle while another man was restrained on the floor.
Aviation media reported that an Israeli official confirmed two off-duty pilots traveling as passengers—identified as citizens of South Africa and New Zealand—alongside cabin crew and passengers, broke into the cockpit area to pin the attacker down and regain control of the aircraft.
Captain Identified Following Dunedin Training Roots
The pilot who was stabbed during the altercation was identified as Captain Smit Machcchar.
Philip Kean, chief executive of Mainland Air in Dunedin where Machcchar trained for 18 months in 2008, stated that he recognized his former student in news reports. Kean praised the captain’s survival instincts, noting that Machcchar had remained in touch with the flight school over the subsequent 18 years and currently assists with recruitment in India.
Fighter Jets Scrambled Amid Conflicting Passport Reports
As security forces in the region reacted to the emergency, Israeli fighter jets were scrambled out of concern over a possible hijacking scenario.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade stated that while reports indicated a New Zealand citizen was among the 174 people on board, officials could not yet provide formal confirmation or verify whether any dual nationals were traveling on the service. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon subsequently noted that preliminary information received by authorities suggested no New Zealanders were on the flight, though checks would continue.
Lasting Questions Over Reinforced Door Security
The incident highlights ongoing aviation security protocols established after the September 11, 2001, attacks, which mandate that cockpit doors remain locked and reinforced during flight.
It remains unclear how the passenger and crew managed to get into the FlyDubai cockpit since aircraft doors are reinforced to withstand attempts to break them down, and it has not been officially confirmed who flew the aircraft during its safe landing in Saudi Arabia.
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