Netanyahu, Modi praise flydubai Indian pilot who saved 174 lives
What's the story
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hailed the captain of a flydubai jet, calling him "a true hero" for saving the 174 people on board after he was stabbed by his co-pilot. Netanyahu said the captain, Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, "fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker." Despite being seriously wounded, he prevented "a catastrophic mid-air disaster," the PM said. Most passengers on board were Israeli citizens.
Incident details
Co-pilot intended to bring down plane, arrested
The Boeing 737 Max 8 made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the incident. According to flight-tracking service Flightradar24, the plane dropped from 33,000 feet (about 10,000 metres) to 17,000 feet (about 5,200 metres) within a minute.
Initial media reports suggested a fight had broken out between the two pilots, causing the rapid descent and landing.
However, eyewitness accounts and a statement by Netanyahu confirmed the co-pilot "apparently intended to bring the aircraft down as it approached Israel."
Airline response
Motive has not been establishedÂ
The airline said that on-duty Flydubai crew members "successfully secured" the aircraft and landed it safely at Tabuk Airport, where passengers boarded onto a different flight to return to Israel.
In an address on Wednesday evening, Netanyahu called the situation "a very serious security incident" and said Israeli security forces were "maintaining close contact with the relevant authorities to ensure the continued safety of the passengers."
A motive for the incident has not been established yet.
Passenger heroism
An Israeli plumber miraculously levels out plane after taking control
United States President Donald Trump said he spoke to Netanyahu and was informed that an Israeli plumber had intervened to stop the plane from crashing.
"It seems as though the co-pilot was perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack-job."
The pilot "was able to fall back and get the door open and scream," he continued.
"An Israeli plumber saw what was happening... He ripped this guy out of the seat, threw him back. The crowd got him."
Pilot update
India's embassy in Riyadh confirms Machchhar is stable
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised Captain Machchhar, calling him a "hero" for his courage in the face of grave danger.
"In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others. His valor helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy," the PM said.
The suspect has since been detained and is being questioned by Saudi authorities.