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flydubai FZ1073: what we know about the attack in the cockpit
A captain attacked at 34,000 feet, a dive of more than 14,000 feet, a landing in Tabuk, and now a police review in Israel and a refused request from flydubai to fly again: here is what is established, what is reported, and what is still only claimed.
20 confirmed28 reported8 claimed1 disputed
Every fact ends with its label: ConfirmedReportedClaimedDisputed· tap one to see who says it
Key points
- Reported
Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry says its preliminary finding is that the captain was assaulted by his co-pilot, causing injuries to both.
- Confirmed
At 08:22 Saudi time the plane dropped more than 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds, according to flight-tracking data.
- Reported
Wounded, the captain opened the cockpit door. "And then I just opened it… and then everybody came," he said.
A routine morning flight
On Wednesday 30 September 2026, flydubai flight FZ1073 left Dubai for Tel Aviv. The aircraft was a Boeing 737 MAX 8.
Saudi and Israeli officials say 174 passengers were on board. flydubai's chief executive gave a different figure: 172 passengers and crew. According to Israeli media, more than 150 of the passengers were Israeli, and Ynet and the Aviation Herald report that 27 were children.
In the captain's seat was Smit Machchhar, from India. He says he has been a pilot for 17 years, 11 of them as a captain. Two more flydubai pilots were travelling in the cabin. A source quoted by the Jerusalem Post says they were there in case a re-route pushed the crew past its duty hours, not because of any security warning.
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What changed
5 days ago · Oct 8, 2026
Israel bars flydubai's return for now; police review ministry
🔒 11 developments for subscribers
Oct 6 · Oct 6, 2026
Australia and New Zealand open inquiries into the co-pilot
🔒 10 developments for subscribers
Watch the filmThe full 3D reconstruction on YouTube ↗How we label every claim
Confirmed: Independently verified: an official record, or two independent newsrooms.Reported: One credible source reports it. Not yet independently confirmed.Claimed: Said by someone involved. Not verified.Disputed: Credible evidence or sources contradict it.
