Netanyahu says flight attacker underwent radical indoctrination
Flydubai Flight FZ1073 plummeted over 17,000ft before passengers and crew intervened, while an Indian pilot was praised as a hero.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Flydubai Flight FZ1073 dropped over 17,000 feet in less than two minutes mid-flight.
- Passengers and crew successfully overpowered the attacker before landing safely in Saudi Arabia.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the attacker underwent Islamist radical indoctrination.
- Indian pilot Capt Smit Machchhar received high praise from leaders for his heroic actions.
A terrifying mid-air security breach unfolded when Flydubai flight FZ1073, carrying more than 170 people on board, departed from Dubai International Airport in the UAE en route to Ben Gurion Airport. Two hours into the journey, the aircraft suddenly plunged more than 17,000 feet, equivalent to 5,200 meters, in less than two minutes, leaving passengers describing the harrowing descent as feeling like being on a rollercoaster.
Amid the chaos, passengers and crew members managed to overpower the attacker and retook control of the aircraft. The plane, which briefly entered Jordanian airspace, looped back and performed a safe manual emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Preliminary findings from an Israeli intelligence investigation conducted by Mossad suggest that the suspect intended to crash the plane.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the attacker had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination. The suspect was arrested in Saudi Arabia and is expected to be transferred to the United Arab Emirates, where the aircraft is registered and flies under its flag. UAE officials asserted their jurisdiction over the incident, although the co-pilot remained in Saudi Arabia for ongoing questioning.
"The attacker underwent Islamist radical indoctrination."
Benjamin Netanyahu
Both Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the stabbed pilot, Indian national Captain Smit Machchhar, as a hero. The Embassy of India in Israel also publicly praised his immense courage during the life-threatening crisis.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Incidents involving direct security threats on international commercial flights trigger complex jurisdictional and diplomatic protocols, especially when third-party nations are involved in emergency landings. The immediate suspension of routes and coordination for rescue flights highlight the fragile balance between regional aviation security and diplomatic cooperation in the Middle East.
In response to the incident, Flydubai suspended its flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv while conducting an internal probe, which aligns with directives from Israel's Transportation Ministry. Meanwhile, Israeli carriers including El Al, Israir, and Arkia prepared rescue flights starting Friday to repatriate stranded passengers, and the transportation ministry requested Etihad Airlines to increase flight frequencies between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv.
Source: BBC World
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