Israel-Dubai flight: Netanyahu names 'hero' pilot attacked on flight as passengers arrive back in Israel

Summary

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu names the "hero" pilot who was stabbed by his co-pilot on an Israel-bound Flydubai flight
Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, displayed "extraordinary bravery" by fighting back and preventing a mid-air disaster, the PM writes on X
The plane was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when it plummeted 17,000ft (5,200m) in less than two minutes, before being diverted to Saudi Arabia
Passengers have now arrived in Israel - one man, still wearing a blood-stained T-shirt, tells Netanyahu how he helped stop the attack
Earlier, a passenger reported "terrible screams throughout the plane" before "three to five guys burst into the cockpit" and subdued the attacker
Another passenger said "we took control of the flight" from "an assailant with a knife" - meanwhile, two other pilots, sitting at the back, reportedly came forward to land the plane
Netanyahu says the pilot who launched the attack has been arrested and is being questioned by Saudi authorities

Do you have any information?

Live Reporting

Edited by Lisa Lambert, with Jon Donnison and Michael Shuval reporting from Ben Gurion airport in Israel

Two pilots at back of plane helped land flight - reportspublished at 10:35 BST 30 September

More reports are emerging in Israeli media about what unfolded on the Dubai to Tel Aviv flight.
An unnamed passenger tells the Jerusalem Post , externalthat one pilot was stabbed by another, but passengers near the front of the plane helped force the attacker from the cockpit.
The witness says two other pilots were on board, at the back of the plane.
"I shouted at them to run and take control of the plane," the passenger tells the Jerusalem Post.
The passenger also say the injured pilot was given life-saving care by a dentist on the flight.
- BBC News can not verify this account - this is a developing story, and we will have more details soon
Emergency signal sounded for seven minutes before flight changed directionpublished at 10:28 BST 30 September

By Paul Brown
Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv issued an emergency signal for around seven minutes, shortly after an abrupt change of direction and descent over Saudi Arabia, according to data from Flightradar24.
The flight took off at 03:05 UTC (04:05 BST), after a 20-minute delay.
The emergency "squawk" code 7700, declaring a "general emergency" was issued at around 05:31 UTC.
Flightradar24 have since said on X that another emergency signal - 7500, declaring "unlawful interference" - was issued at 05:38, although this is not visible on their website.
The flight briefly entered Jordanian airspace at 05:40 before looping back into Saudi airspace six minutes later.
It began descending again at 06:11 on an apparent course towards Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Location data became temporarily unavailable shortly thereafter, until 06:58, when it re-emerged at Tabuk airport.

'Blood everywhere', passenger reportspublished at 10:22 BST 30 September

We're now getting testimony from passengers, via Reuters.
Yasmin Abukasis tells the news agency that her daughter Miriam was on the flight and that she heard screaming.
Her daughter said a man holding a knife had forced one of the pilots onto the floor, and that there was blood everywhere.
All passengers safe and accounted for - Flydubaipublished at 10:19 BST 30 September

Flydubai confirms its flight "experienced an incident" but says "all passengers are safe and accounted for".
"Flydubai can confirm that flight FZ 1073 operating from Dubai International (DXB) to Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) on 30 September experienced an incident while en route," a statement says.
"The aircraft has landed safely in Tabuk Airport (TUU) and all passengers are safe and accounted for. The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority.
"Our teams are working closely with the relevant authorities. Further updates will be issued as additional confirmed details become available."

Passengers 'helped tie down pilot after fight'published at 10:07 BST 30 September
Jon Donnison
Middle East correspondent in Jerusalem

It’s reported the alarm was caused after a 'fight' between the pilot and the co-pilot.
An Israeli passenger on board has told journalists the crew asked for help and that passengers then helped tackle one of the pilots and tie him down.
In a statement, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the situation was under control and that efforts were underway to return the Israeli passengers home from Saudi Arabia.
Israel-bound flight diverted after 'fight' between pilots - reportspublished at 10:01 BST 30 September

Image source, Flightradar24/Reuters
A flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia after a "fight" between the pilots, Israeli officials have told local media.
The Flydubai plane - which took off from Dubai International Airport early on Wednesday - signalled an emergency code two hours into the journey, flight tracking website Flightradar24 says.
Minutes later it switched to a code used to report a hijacking, but was later turned back to the general emergency signal.
The emergency signal is thought to have been issued following an "altercation" between the pilot and co-pilot, local media reports, citing Israeli defence officials.
Flight FZ1073 - carrying about 150 people, most of whom are Israeli - was due to land at Ben-Gurion Airport but instead landed at Tabuk Airport in north-eastern Saudi Arabia.
This is a developing story - we'll have more details soon.