On a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on the morning of March 7, 2024, passengers experienced a terrifying midair attack when the first officer suddenly stabbed the captain in the cockpit. The incident unfolded around 9 a.m. local time during the roughly three-hour flight carrying 182 people, most of whom were Israeli nationals returning home from trips across Asia and Africa.

Tali Manes, a passenger traveling in business class with her family, was outside the lavatory near the cockpit door when she first heard loud bangs and distressing noises coming from behind the flight deck. Realizing something was wrong, she urgently enlisted a backup pilot nearby to check the situation. The unlocked cockpit door revealed a violent scene: Captain Smit Machchhar, a 17-year flight veteran from India, was gravely injured on the floor while the first officer was attacking him with a knife.

Despite severe injuries, Captain Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to intervene. Several Israeli passengers, including Yaniv Hayoun, a plumber seated in row 11, and Asaf Rajuan, a financial planner, rushed forward to subdue the attacker. They overpowered the first officer and restrained him using wired headsets and zip ties provided by the flight crew. Meanwhile, others tended to the wounded captain, who had suffered deep cuts and heavy blood loss. A dentist aboard, Shota Musaev, applied first aid, placing an oxygen mask over the captain and pressing on his wounds.

Passengers described a brief but intense struggle amid terrifying moments when the plane sharply banked left and then went into a steep dive, throwing some passengers from their seats. Many likened the sudden emergency to trauma reminiscent of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel or the 9/11 hijacking crisis, prompting them to act with urgency and resolve. Some passengers recounted how they overcame initial shock and fear to protect one another, fearing the assailant might have accomplices onboard or that the situation could worsen.

With the first officer restrained and a backup pilot recovering from the melee, the aircraft was brought under control despite damage to the rudder. The pilot was able to safely divert and land at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia at approximately 9:45 a.m. Passengers expressed relief and gratitude upon landing, singing traditional songs celebrating survival and resilience.

Many passengers were Israeli citizens familiar with heightened security concerns and expressed wariness throughout the ordeal. Some noted previous experiences with antisemitism and felt tense returning to Israel amid ongoing conflict. The flyDubai flight was among the few commercial services still operating routes to Tel Aviv, providing a rare sense of community for Israelis abroad.

The incident raised questions about cockpit security protocols and the measures airlines take to prevent internal threats. Officials and passengers praised the courage of those who acted decisively, particularly the captain’s determination to keep control and open the cockpit door despite life-threatening injuries. Authorities are conducting ongoing investigations into the motives and circumstances leading to the attack.