Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking fellow pilot had spent time in NZ, police confirm
First reported 30 Sept, 07:41 UTCUpdated 5m ago72 sources
18 left · 34 center · 20 right · Full breakdown
Polyview Briefing
AI-generatedA Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced to divert to Saudi Arabia after a violent cockpit altercation involving the pilots, which Israeli officials described as an attempted terror attack and crash. Passengers and crew members intervened to subdue the attacker, and the plane landed safely.
How the Left framed it
Left-leaning outlets highlighted remarks from Israeli officials and Donald Trump regarding potential extremist links, while also discussing broader questions about cockpit security and pilot screening.
How the Center framed it
Center outlets focused on the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, the accounts of terrified passengers returning home, and ongoing Israeli investigations into whether the incident was a terrorist attack.
How the Right framed it
Right-leaning outlets emphasized the thwarted hijacking, praising the heroic actions of passengers and crew in preventing a potential 9/11-style disaster, and cited Israeli officials regarding the co-pilot's actions.
What everyone reports
- A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Saudi Arabia.
- A cockpit altercation and stabbing occurred during the flight.
- Passengers and crew members helped subdue the attacker.
- The aircraft landed safely, and passengers have returned to Israel.
Where coverage differs
- Left-leaning outlets highlighted claims of 'Islamic radical indoctrination' and links to Iran, as stated by Israeli and U.S. figures.
- Right-leaning outlets placed strong emphasis on framing the event specifically as a foiled 9/11-style terrorist hijacking attempt.
- There are minor discrepancies across outlets regarding whether the captain or co-pilot was the attacker, with some initial reports differing.
Written by AI from the headlines and excerpts of 64 outlets (Google Gemini) on 4 Oct, 17:12 UTC. It can make mistakes — read the original reporting below. How briefings work
Compare the headlines
How outlets on each side framed it
UAE investigators said the co-pilot attacked the captain with an emergency axe on the plane.
Israeli passengers say one of the pilots on a FlyDubai flight carried out an attempted terrorist attack, and tell of a terrifying plummet.
Smit Machchhar was hailed for his heroism after being stabbed on Flight 1073.
Full coverage
72 outlets — tap a headline to read it at the source
- Flydubai Flight Diverts to Saudi Arabia After Cockpit Violence, Hijack Alert (opens Kyiv Post in a new tab)
A flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel diverted to Saudi Arabia after its pilots reportedly got into a physical fight and transmitted emergency signals. The aircraft landed safely in Tabuk, while Israeli officials said the incident was not believed to be a hijacking.
- Flydubai pilot attempts terror hijacking of flight to Tel Aviv, foiled by Israeli passengers (opens The Jerusalem Post in a new tab)
Israeli official says “major disaster avoided” after pilot stabbed his co-pilot, attempted to hijack aircraft with over 100 Israeli passengers • Plane makes emergency landing in Saudi Arabia
- Flydubai flight diverts to Saudi Arabia after suspected cockpit stabbing (opens Iran International in a new tab)
Both pilots of a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv were injured after what Israeli officials said may have been an attempted terror attack in the cockpit, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
- Flydubai co-pilot tried to crash Tel Aviv flight: Netanyahu (opens Daily Sabah in a new tab)
A flydubai co-pilot stabbed the captain and tried to crash a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight before passengers subdued him and other pilots safely landed the aircraft in Saudi Arabia, Israel...
- Flydubai flight to Israel diverted after pilots reportedly fight in cockpit (opens Scroll.in in a new tab)
The co-pilot had stabbed the captain before cabin crew members entered the cockpit and took control. He has been arrested, Israeli PM said.
- The heroes who saved the flydubai flight from disaster (opens The Spectator Australia in a new tab)
This morning a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv appears to have been hijacked by its own co-pilot. It…
- Who is Smit Machchhar? The Indian pilot who helped avert a 9/11-style attack on Israel (opens OpIndia in a new tab)
An Indian pilot fought off a cockpit attack and helped avert a 9/11-style attempt to crash a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight carrying around 180 people.
- Recounting cockpit struggle on FlyDubai flight, Israeli passengers return home (opens Christian Science Monitor in a new tab)
Israeli passengers say one of the pilots on a FlyDubai flight carried out an attempted terrorist attack, and tell of a terrifying plummet.
- Americans Confirmed On Hijacked Flight As Trump Reacts To Israel’s Near-9/11 (opens The Daily Wire in a new tab)
Four Americans were among 174 passengers aboard a Tel Aviv-bound flight that plunged midair after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and tried to crash the plane. Fox News reported that four U.S. citizens were aboard the flydubai flight from Dubai when the co-pilot reportedly stabbed the pilot and sent the jet…
- Passengers of diverted flydubai flight land in Israel (opens Africanews in a new tab)
Passengers on a FlyDubai flight that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a violent cockpit incident, arrived in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, describing the ordeal as “very terrifying”
- Israel probes if FlyDubai pilot stabbing was attempted terror attack (opens Semafor in a new tab)
The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after passengers helped avert a disaster.
- What we know about incident on FlyDubai flight bound for Israel (opens The Globe and Mail in a new tab)
A pilot stabbed a co-pilot in the cockpit as he attempted to take control of a Tel Aviv-bound flight from the United Arab Emirates, with the aim of crashing it, according to Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
