On Wednesday, September 30, 2026, Flydubai flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 carrying 170 passengers, was cruising at 34,000 feet when co‑pilot R. K. Patel tried to sabotage the aircraft, stabbing captain Smit Machchhar and forcing the plane to descend at a dangerously rapid 23,000 feet per minute.
The captain, refusing to surrender, slammed the cockpit door open, allowing passengers near the front to wrestle the attacker away. Passengers, some of whom were ordinary travelers, aided the effort, and the crew redirected the flight to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where the aircraft landed without further incident.
Co‑pilot Patel was seized by the crew; both pilots were transported to a hospital in Tabuk. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, upon learning of the incident, called Machchhar a national hero and pledged full support to the investigation.
The investigation, led by the Emirates Civil Aviation Authority, will examine cockpit security protocols and the co‑pilot's background. Passengers, including Ofir Speigel—whose mother was on board—await compensation and answers on how such a breach could occur.
The authorities have scheduled a formal review of the flight data recorder and will interview all crew members. A statement from the UAE Ministry of Transportation will be released by the end of the week.