Second Pilot Attacks Captain on flydubai Flight with 174 Aboard

On Wednesday, a flydubai flight went from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Its second pilot attacked the captain with a knife. Passengers and crew members intervened. The plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

There were 174 people on board. After the attack, the plane fell fast. Passengers rushed into the cockpit and stopped the attacker. A backup crew helped steady the falling plane. Then other crew members controlled the plane.

The plane landed in Tabuk, in northwest Saudi Arabia. The Guardian reported that Saudi Arabia detained the second pilot after the flight arrived. The injured captain was Smith Macchhar, a citizen of India.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack may have been an attempt to crash the plane. After landing, passengers continued to Israel on another flight. People welcomed them with applause on Wednesday evening.

Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Macchhar's actions. Modi wrote that the captain showed courage and determination despite serious injuries.