Trump: Co-Pilot Who Stabbed Captain on Israel-Bound Flight 'Perhaps a Terrorist'

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the co-pilot accused of stabbing Captain Smit Machchhar aboard a Flydubai flight bound for Israel may have been a terrorist, while acknowledging that the motive behind the incident remained unclear. Trump said he had spoken at length with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the episode before describing the suspected attacker as “perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack-job.” The incident occurred aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the cockpit confrontation led to an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

The Boeing 737 flight was carrying 174 people when the confrontation took place, according to reports. The co-pilot allegedly stabbed Machchhar, an Indian national, during the flight, after which the aircraft experienced a sharp descent. The plane transmitted an emergency alert and ultimately diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. The injured captain was taken to hospital and was reported to be in stable condition, while Saudi authorities arrested the co-pilot and began investigating the incident.

According to accounts from Israeli officials and other reports, the situation became critical after the aircraft rapidly lost altitude. Passengers and crew members intervened after the cockpit door was opened, helping overpower the attacker. Netanyahu said Machchhar, despite being seriously injured, resisted the alleged attacker and enabled passengers and crew to gain access to the cockpit. Other Flydubai pilots who were travelling as passengers subsequently helped operate the aircraft before it made the emergency landing in Tabuk.

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Netanyahu has praised Machchhar for what he described as extraordinary bravery, saying the Indian captain helped prevent a potentially catastrophic outcome. The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said Machchhar was receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Tabuk and was reported to be stable. Reports said Machchhar previously worked for Indian carrier SpiceJet for about 11 years before joining Flydubai in 2022. He has been identified as the captain of the flight involved in Wednesday's incident.

The identity and motive of the co-pilot have been the subject of continuing investigation. Some reports have identified him as an Omani national, while authorities have not established publicly why the alleged attack occurred. Israeli officials have raised the possibility that the incident was an attempted act of terror or an effort to take control of the aircraft, but Flydubai has urged against premature conclusions. The airline said an altercation had occurred in the flight deck and that its crew secured the aircraft before diverting it safely to Tabuk.

Trump's comments came as the incident drew international attention because of the presence of Israeli passengers on the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv service and the aircraft's sudden descent. Israel scrambled fighter jets amid initial concerns about a possible hijacking, while the flight was ultimately able to land safely in Saudi Arabia. The passengers were later transported onward to Tel Aviv on another Flydubai flight. Authorities in Saudi Arabia, Israel and other parties are continuing to examine what happened inside the cockpit, including the circumstances of the stabbing and the suspected attacker's motive.

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