Flydubai has announced the suspension of all its flights to and from Israel following an incident on a Tel Aviv-bound flight. The incident involved the co-pilot, reportedly an Omani national, stabbing pilot Smit Machchhar, an Indian citizen from Mumbai.
During the event, the aircraft reportedly plunged nearly 14,000 feet (4,267 metres) in less than 30 seconds. Pilot Machchhar has been described as a hero for releasing the cockpit door, allowing passengers to enter and help regain control of the plane.
According to one passenger, two spare pilots on board, who were scheduled to operate the next flight, entered the cockpit, stabilised the aircraft, and landed it in Saudi Arabia. Israel’s ambassador to the UN has labelled the incident a “terror attack,” although Benjamin Netanyahu has stated it is too early to determine who was behind the apparent attempt to crash the flight.