Israeli passengers and an Indian captain are being hailed as heroes after a suspected radicalized co-pilot allegedly tried to bring down a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight carrying more than 170 people.

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the extraordinary rescue of a flydubai passenger jet bound for Israel as a “chain of miracles with divine assistance,” as investigators probe evidence that the co-pilot accused of trying to crash the aircraft had undergone Islamist radicalization.

Speaking Thursday during a Torah study session for Hoshana Rabbah in the Knesset sukkah, Netanyahu reflected on the dramatic events aboard flydubai Flight FZ1073.

“The tradition of Jewish heroism tips the scales,” Netanyahu said. “What happened yesterday is a chain of miracles with divine assistance.”

The gathering included Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, senior Israeli defense officials, wounded IDF soldiers, wives of reservists and cadets from the Tavor Pre-Military Academy.

The prime minister’s comments came after an extraordinary midair struggle aboard the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Israeli officials say the Omani co-pilot attacked Indian captain Smit Machchhar and apparently attempted to crash the Boeing 737 while it was flying over Saudi Arabia. Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft plunging approximately 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.

Despite being seriously wounded, Machchhar reportedly managed to unlock the cockpit door before collapsing, giving passengers access to the cockpit. Israeli passengers then overpowered and restrained the attacker, while another flight crew traveling aboard the aircraft ultimately took control and safely landed the jet in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Netanyahu called Machchhar a “true hero,” saying the captain fought back despite his wounds and enabled those aboard to overpower the attacker. The Indian pilot, who has thousands of hours of flight experience, was hospitalized following the attack and was reported to be recovering.

Netanyahu: Co-Pilot Underwent ‘Islamist Radical Indoctrination’

Netanyahu said Thursday that information gathered about the alleged attacker indicated that he had been radicalized.

“We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination,” Netanyahu said during an interview with Fox News, adding that authorities were gathering information from the suspect’s personal history.

Netanyahu said investigators were working to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident and whether the suspected hijacker acted alone.

Netanyahu said the suspect reportedly called on crew members to kill him after he had been subdued, telling them, “Kill me, kill me,” which the prime minister said indicated that the man appeared suicidal.

Israeli officials told The Times of Israel that the suspect’s social-media activity allegedly included statements about killing Jews and reflected jihadist ideology. Israel’s initial assessment was that he likely acted alone, though the investigation remains underway.

Netanyahu cautioned against prematurely concluding that Iran was involved.

“I think it’s too early to say whether there was Iranian collusion,” he said, adding that investigators would seek to determine whether the suspect had accomplices or outside backing.

The United Arab Emirates has opened its own investigation into the incident, including whether it was connected to terrorist activity or had been planned or directed by others.

‘We Are a Nation of Lions’

One of the most remarkable accounts came from Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayun, who rushed toward the cockpit as the aircraft plunged.

Hayun said he pulled the attacker away from the controls and, despite having no flight training, pulled back on the aircraft’s controls to help arrest its descent until qualified pilots could take over.

When Netanyahu later met Hayun, the passenger was still wearing a shirt stained with blood from the struggle.

“We are a nation of lions, aren’t we?” Hayun told the prime minister.

Netanyahu embraced him.

“I look at you and I see a lion,” Netanyahu replied. “I see a great hero.”

Other passengers also played crucial roles. Israeli dentist Dr. Shota Musayev treated the badly wounded captain, working to control his bleeding and stabilize him, while several passengers helped keep the suspected attacker restrained until the aircraft landed.

Hayun later summed up the ordeal simply: “Thank God, we pulled it off.”

For Netanyahu, the remarkable convergence of events — a wounded captain managing to open the cockpit, passengers willing to charge toward danger, people aboard capable of treating the wounded, additional pilots available to take control and an aircraft surviving its violent descent — amounted to something beyond human courage alone.

“What happened yesterday,” Netanyahu said, “is a chain of miracles with divine assistance.”

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