Two other pilots other than Smit Machchhar, accused copilot were aboard flydubai plane. Here's why

Indian pilot Smit Machchhar and the copilot who allegedly stabbed him mid-flight were not the only two pilots abord the flydubai flight to Tel Aviv on which major chaos erupted on Wednesday. A flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft is pictured on the tarmac after landing at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport in Lod on September 30, 2026. (AFP)There were two other pilots on board the FZ1073 flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. According to a BBC report, the pilots took control of the plane as passengers tried to overpower the accused copilot. According to a Jerusalem Post report, the other pilots were placed on board to prepare for the possibility that regional airspace restrictions could force the aircraft to take a longer route. The additional pilots were there to ensure the crew did not exceed its permitted duty hours, the report said, citing a person familiar with the matter. “If something happened over Kuwait and they told you to reroute, then you’re putting one hour, two hours extra on the flight,” the person said. Such a delay could have left the original crew unable to operate the return flight within their permitted hours.That routine operational precaution became critical when an alleged attack unfolded in the cockpit, sending the Boeing 737 into a steep descent, about 14,000 feet within 30 seconds and forcing it to divert to Saudi Arabia.Follow here for live updatesFour pilots became critical during cockpit attackIsraeli officials said the co-pilot stabbed the captain and allegedly attempted to crash the aircraft before passengers and crew intervened. The flight transmitted the international 7500 code for unlawful interference, initially raising fears of a hijacking, while Israeli fighter jets were scrambled.An Israeli passenger who helped respond to the incident told the Post that passengers seated near the front rushed towards the cockpit after the attack began and the aircraft started losing altitude.He then realised that the two additional pilots were seated farther back.“I had to shake them to get them to move to the front and take control of the plane, because it was diving,” he told the Post.According to the passenger, one of the additional pilots reached the cockpit and took control of the aircraft, while the second initially appeared to be in shock.The passenger said Israeli passengers fought the attacker and restrained him, eventually using charging cables to tie him up. An Israeli dentist aboard the flight treated the badly wounded pilot.Also Read | ‘Prevented 9/11-type tragedy’: PM Modi praises flydubai Indian pilot Smit Machchhar’s courage, quotes NetanyahuWhy were there four pilots?The four-pilot arrangement was linked to the possibility of regional disruptions forcing the flight to take a longer route.Since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, flydubai has been among a small number of foreign airlines that continued serving Israel through significant periods when major international carriers suspended flights. Etihad, the other major UAE carrier flying to Israel, also maintained service during parts of the war.The possibility of sudden rerouting meant airlines had to account for longer flight times and crew-duty limitations. On Wednesday, that planning decision meant FZ1073 had four pilots aboard — a decision that became crucial when the cockpit attack began.Also Read | ‘Amazed flydubai plane didn’t crash': Aviation experts shocked at flight surviving 16,000-feet plungeAircraft plunged nearly 14,000 feetFlight-tracking data showed the Boeing 737 dropping nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before the first emergency signal was transmitted.The aircraft eventually diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where the suspected attacker was detained.Flydubai confirmed that an altercation had taken place on the flight deck and said crew members travelling aboard the aircraft secured the plane, diverted it and landed safely. The airline cautioned against determining a motive while the incident remains under investigation.Israeli officials have described the incident as a deliberate terror attack. Defence Minister Israel Katz called it an “attempted jihadist terror attack,” while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said passengers and crew had prevented a major disaster.