{
  "id": 11069975,
  "title": "Netanyahu hails stabbed Indian pilot of flydubai plane",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/netanyahu-hails-stabbed-indian-pilot-of-flydubai-plane-11069975",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-30T23:58:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/10/01/netanyahu-hails-stabbed-indian-pilot-of-flydubai-plane"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lauded Indian pilot Smit Machchhar for preventing a potential plane crash on a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv. The incident occurred on Wednesday when Machchhar was stabbed by his co-pilot during an alleged attempt to crash the aircraft. The plane diverted safely to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia after a struggle ensued between passengers, crew, and flydubai pilots onboard.\n\nMachchhar, who hailed from Mumbai, sustained injuries and required surgery following the incident. He is currently receiving medical treatment in a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and is reported to be stable. Indian authorities in Saudi Arabia are providing support to Machchhar and his family.\n\nIsraeli officials stated that the passengers and crew managed to overpower the co-pilot, enabling two additional flydubai pilots to land the plane safely in Tabuk. All 174 people on board, including Israeli citizens and other nationalities, were reported safe. Flydubai suspended flights to and from Israel while investigations were conducted.\n\nNetanyahu described the incident as a \"severely severe security incident\" and mentioned that Saudi authorities would interrogate the co-pilot involved in the altercation.",
  "summary": "Passengers on the flight reached Israel safely after Indian pilot Smit Machchhar and the crew foiled a co-pilot's attempt to crash the aircraft.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "flydubai pilot 'a hero', plumber steadied plunging aircraft: Trump",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/flydubai-pilot-a-hero-plumber-steadied-plunging-aircraft-trump",
        "published": "2026-09-30T22:53:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Jerusalem Post",
        "title": "Trump on flydubai incident: ‘I spoke to Bibi Netanyahu at length’; co-pilot may have been terrorist",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/trump-on-flydubai-incident-i-spoke-to-bibi-netanyahu-at-length-co",
        "published": "2026-09-30T22:58:52.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "Netanyahu hails stabbed Indian pilot of flydubai plane",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/netanyahu-hails-stabbed-indian-pilot-of-flydubai-plane",
        "published": "2026-09-30T23:46:29.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Netanyahu hails stabbed Indian pilot of flydubai plane",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/netanyahu-hails-stabbed-indian-pilot-of-flydubai-plane-11071333",
        "published": "2026-09-30T23:58:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Netanyahu hails Indian pilot who saved 174 aboard flydubai jet",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/netanyahu-hails-indian-pilot-who-saved-174-aboard-flydubai-jet",
        "published": "2026-10-01T00:04:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "Netanyahu says it is too early to determine motive in cockpit stabbing incident",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/netanyahu-says-it-is-too-early-to-determine-motive-in-cockpit",
        "published": "2026-10-01T00:28:38.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}