Flydubai co-pilot stabs captain on Tel Aviv flight before passengers overpower attacker
A knife attack inside the cockpit of a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight forced an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, leading to regional security investigations and military warnings from Washington.
In-flight attack and cockpit struggle
On 30 September 2026, a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv carrying 174 people, including 166 Israeli passengers, diverted to Saudi Arabia following a violent cockpit confrontation. According to passenger accounts and flight data, the co-pilot attacked the aircraft captain with a knife in an attempt to force the plane down. The aircraft descended roughly 5,000 meters in a single minute before the captain managed to unlock the flight deck door. Several passengers, including Israeli plumber Yaniv Hayoun, rushed into the cockpit, overpowered the attacker, and helped stabilize the plane. Captain Smeet Matchar later recounted the struggle from his hospital bed.
I knew this was my last chance, and the door was right there. I was still being beaten, but I opened the door, and everyone came in.
Emergency landing and transfer of custody
Following the struggle, the airliner made an emergency landing at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Saudi security forces took the co-pilot into custody at the airfield and transferred him to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday morning, 1 October 2026, for joint questioning. Matchar was also transferred from Saudi Arabia to a hospital in the UAE, where the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi reported he was recovering well after speaking via video with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith stated on 2 October 2026 that a comprehensive formal inquiry was underway to determine the facts of the cockpit security breach.
- Co-pilot attacks captain on Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, prompting an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
- Saudi authorities transfer the detained co-pilot and injured captain to the United Arab Emirates
- UAE and Israeli officials launch inquiries as El Al cancels scheduled Dubai repatriation flights
- Expected arrival of an additional US aircraft carrier strike group and troop reinforcements in the region
Investigation and diplomatic accusations
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the suspect was an Omani national who had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination and showed suicidal tendencies during the flight. Netanyahu told Fox News that the co-pilot shouted to crew members to kill him and stated that investigators were examining whether any foreign entity directed the attack. UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash characterized the incident as a serious terrorist act and commended Matchar for preventing a catastrophe. Omani officials issued no public comment on the incident, and Israel noted that pilots from countries without bilateral diplomatic ties are typically barred from operating flights into Israeli airspace.
Regional tensions and flight disruptions
US President Donald Trump addressed the incident during a White House press briefing, suggesting potential Iranian involvement and warning of military retaliation if evidence confirms Tehran directed the attack.
I would say the answer is yes, based on what I am hearing, but we are working on this at this exact moment.
Commercial aviation between the two countries faced immediate disruptions following the security breach. Flydubai halted its Tel Aviv service, and Israeli carrier El Al cancelled scheduled repatriation flights on 2 October 2026 after failing to secure required flight permits from UAE aviation authorities. In the broader region, the Pentagon prepared to dispatch an aircraft carrier strike group, while Washington sent two Patriot air defense batteries to protect energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
