A flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv was saved after a co-pilot stabbed the pilot and passengers moved to stop him, according to Reuters. Among those credited were the flight's captain, a plumber and a dentist, The Guardian reports.
The captain was named by CNN as Smit Machchhar, described as a jovial pilot and father who thwarted the attacker. The Guardian's headline groups him with a plumber and a dentist among those who intervened.
Israeli officials said passengers foiled an attempt to crash the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, Reuters reported. The account from Reuters states that the co-pilot was the one who attacked the pilot before being stopped.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was too early to determine whether Iran was involved, according to the BBC. The Times of Israel reports that the United Arab Emirates has opened a probe into whether the attack had a terrorist motive and whether it was preplanned.
The reporting so far leaves several elements unclear, including how the attacker was subdued and the condition of those on board. The details available come from the outlets named above, and further confirmation of the sequence of events has not yet been provided.
Investigators in the UAE are examining the motive and whether the attack was planned in advance, while Israeli officials have not ruled any party in or out. What to watch next: the findings of the UAE investigation and any further statement from Israeli authorities on possible involvement.
