UAE presidential adviser calls Flydubai flight incident 'terrorist act'

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said on Friday that the incident aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was a "terrorist act", praising the Indian captain for averting a disaster after being attacked by his co-pilot.

Gargash said on social media platform X that Captain Smit Machchhar deserved "every appreciation" for showing courage and responsibility in the face of what he described as a "dangerous terrorist act" and a potential disaster.

"His professionalism and moral sense in the darkest of circumstances make him a true hero," he said.

Passengers from an earlier diverted flydubai flight are seen after landing at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport in Lod on September 30, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Flydubai flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, was diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed safely in Tabuk after the incident.

Media reports said the co-pilot attacked the captain with a knife in the cockpit, causing the aircraft to make a sudden descent. Other crew members and passengers overpowered the attacker before the crew regained control, the reports said.

The UAE attorney-general on Thursday ordered the formation of an investigation team to probe into the incident, including whether it was linked to terrorist activity