--- title: "Trump says Netanyahu told him plumber steadied Flydubai flight" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/trump-says-netanyahu-told-him-plumber-steadied-flydubai-flight" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/trump-says-netanyahu-told-him-plumber-steadied-flydubai-flight" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/trump-says-netanyahu-told-him-plumber-steadied-flydubai-flight.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/trump-says-netanyahu-told-him-plumber-steadied-flydubai-flight" category: "Conflict & Security" area: "Middle East" published: "2026-09-30T23:46:05.109Z" source_reported: "2026-09-30T23:16:42.000Z" updated: "2026-10-01T01:00:27.373Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 57 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-01T01:00:24.981160+00:00" --- # Trump says Netanyahu told him plumber steadied Flydubai flight *US president relays account of Israeli passenger intervening after co-pilot attack* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Central claim attributed to named body, but relies on anonymous sourcing and hedges. - Craft 57 of 100, higher is better. Quotes or right of reply given to affected parties, but fact kept separate from comment. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. Headline promises more than the body delivers, with mild emphasis and some loaded adjectives. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - US President Donald Trump said he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about an incident on a Flydubai flight. - Trump relayed an account where the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the pilot and attempted to crash the plane. - According to Trump, an Israeli plumber who had no flying experience intervened to steady the aircraft. - Trump stated he was relaying information from Netanyahu and others, not independently confirmed facts. US President Donald Trump told reporters he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about an incident on a Flydubai flight. Trump recounted that the co-pilot may have been a terrorist or insane and stabbed the pilot. According to Trump, an Israeli plumber who had never flown a plane intervened to steady the aircraft. Trump stated he was relaying an account he heard from Netanyahu and others, not independently confirmed facts. He added that the pilot, identified as Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, was a hero for fighting off the co-pilot and opening the cockpit door to call for help. Additional pilots and security personnel later took control of the aircraft. ## Disagreement on details of the plumber's intervention Hindustan Times reported that the plumber entered the cockpit, pulled the co-pilot out of his seat, and threw him backwards, where other passengers helped restrain him. This report also stated the plumber said he learned basic flying concepts from watching the television program 'Air Disasters'. Other reports do not include these specific details about how the plumber intervened or his source of knowledge. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated reports mention the pilot's name, Smit Machchhar, or that he is of Indian nationality. The left-rated report from Ynet News also omits the pilot's name and nationality. The centre-rated reports from CBS Austin and WCIV do not name the pilot or mention his nationality. ## Who covered it Shares of the 17 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 12% (2) - Centre: 17% (3) - Right: 71% (12) 15 of 32 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-01T01:00:24.981160+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 6 times; 1 check found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-01T01:15:14.468Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Ynet News led with Trump's statement that an Israeli plumber who had never flown a plane straightened the aircraft just before it crashed. The report included Trump's assertion that the co-pilot appeared to be a terrorist or insane and had stabbed the pilot. It also noted Trump's qualification that he was relaying a story he heard, not confirmed facts. ### Centre - CBS Austin and WCIV both led with Trump stating that Netanyahu told him an Israeli plumber stabilized the plane during an attack. These reports included that the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain. El Tiempo and El Comercio also reported Trump's statement about speaking with Netanyahu regarding the incident and the possibility of the co-pilot being a terrorist. ### Right - rediff.com, WCIV, Fox 17, WACH, Washington Examiner, news‑pravda.com, Globo, Anadolu Ajansı, Protothema, Tribune India, The Hindu Business Line and dagelijksestandaard.nl all led on President Trump saying Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told him an Israeli plumber helped stop a Flydubai jet after a co‑pilot stabbed the captain. Each digest repeats the claim of a knife attack. - rediff.com described the Indian pilot Smit Machchhar as “heroic”, while The Hindu Business Line and Tribune India called him a “hero”. Washington Examiner noted the plumber “had never flown an aircraft”. Anadolu Ajansı and Protothema reported Trump calling the co‑pilot a “terrorist” or “whack‑job”. All outlets identified the passenger simply as an “Israeli plumber”. - None of the right‑rated digests include statements from Flydubai, any investigation findings, or cost estimates for the incident. They also omit any independent verification of Trump’s account, limiting the coverage to his recollection of the conversation with Netanyahu. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - veryLow: 1 - mixed: 6 - high: 6 - unknown: 15 - veryHigh: 4 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [RÚV](https://ruv.is/frettir/erlent/488494) — Trump Says Flugmanninn Either brjálaðan or Hryðjuverkamann - [Tribune India](https://tribuneindia.com/news/usa-news/terrorist-or-whack-job-trump-on-flydubai-co-pilot-after-mid-air-attack-calls-indian-captain-smit-machchhar-a-hero) — “Terrorist or whack job”: Trump on flydubai co-pilot after mid-air attack; calls Indian Captain Smit Machchhar a hero - The Tribune - [zougla.gr](https://zougla.gr/kosmos/trab-enas-ydravlikos-esose-to-aeroplano-tis-flydubai) — Trump: "A Plumber Saved the Flydubai Plane" - [Nieuws.nl](https://nieuws.nl/buitenland/trump-in-contact-met-netanyahu-over-vlucht-flydubai) — Trump Spoke with Netanyahu About FlyDubai Flight Incident - [welingelichtekringen.nl](https://welingelichtekringen.nl/samenleving/trump-in-contact-met-netanyahu-over-vlucht-flydubai) — Trump in Contact with Netanyahu About Flydubai Flight - [dagelijksestandaard.nl](https://dagelijksestandaard.nl/nieuws/trump-in-contact-met-netanyahu-over-vlucht-flydubai) — Trump in Contact with Netanyahu About Flydubai Flight - [The Hindu Business Line](https://thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/trump-hails-indian-flydubai-pilot-smit-machchhar-as-hero-after-cockpit-knife-attack/article71531135.ece) — Trump hails Indian flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar as ‘hero’ after knife attack - [Hola News](https://holanews.com/trump-dice-que-hablo-extensamente-con-netanyahu-sobre-el-incidente-de-flydubai) — Trump Says He Spoke "Extensively" to Netanyahu About the Flydubai Incident - [Anadolu Ajansı](https://aa.com.tr/en/americas/trump-says-co-pilot-in-flydubai-incident-may-have-been-a-terrorist-or-whack-job-/4074345) — Trump Says Co-Pilot in Flydubai Incident May Have Been a 'Terrorist' or 'Whack-Job' - [Protothema](https://protothema.gr/world/article/1887490/o-trab-perigrafei-to-thriler-sti-flydubai-opos-tou-to-metefere-o-netaniahou-enas-udraulikos-esose-to-aeroplano-video) — Trump Describes the Flydubai Thriller as Told to Him by Netanyahu: "A Plumber Saved the Plane", Video - [The Hindu](https://thehindu.com/news/international/flydubai-pilot-a-hero-plumber-steadied-plunging-aircraft-trump/article71530421.ece) — Trump says flydubai pilot 'a hero', plumber steadied plunging aircraft - [El Tiempo](https://eltiempo.com/mundo/eeuu-y-canada/donald-trump-dijo-que-hablo-extensamente-con-el-primer-ministro-israeli-benjamin-netanyahu-sobre-el-incidente-del-vuelo-de-flydubai-un-terrorista-3590301) — Donald Trump Said He Spoke 'Extremely' to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu About the Flydubai Flight Incident: 'A Terrorist' - [El Comercio](https://elcomercio.pe/mundo/oriente-medio/flydubai-donald-trump-dice-que-hablo-extensamente-con-benjamin-netanyahu-sobre-el-incidente-del-vuelo-israel-arabia-saudita-ultimas-noticia) — Trump Says He Spoke “Extensively” with Netanyahu About the Flydubai Incident - [Pakistan Live News](https://pakistanlivenews.com/plumber-helped-save-plunging-flydubai-plane-after-co-pilot-attacked-captain-trump) — 'Plumber' Helped Save Plunging Flydubai Plane After Co-pilot Attacked Captain: Trump - [BizToc](https://biztoc.com/x/bed78a765e999bd6) — Trump Praises FlyDubai Passengers Who Stormed Cockpit - [Naslovi.net](https://naslovi.net/2026-10-01/politika/tramp-kopilot-mozda-bio-terorista-ili-lud/42429997) — Trump: The Co-Pilot "May Have Been a Terrorist or Crazy" - [rediff.com](https://rediff.com/news/report/flydubai-pilot-hailed-hero-after-co-pilot-attack-plumber-saves-plane/20261001.htm) — President Trump Shares Unconfirmed Account Of Heroic Pilot And Passenger - [Hindustan Times](https://hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/flydubai-pilot-a-hero-plumber-steadied-plunging-aircraft-trump-101790808815921.html) — flydubai pilot 'a hero', plumber steadied plunging aircraft: Trump - [WCIV](https://abcnews4.com/news/nation-world/headline-09-30-2026) — Trump says Netanyahu told him 'Israeli plumber' stabilized hijacked flight - [CBS Austin](https://cbsaustin.com/news/nation-world/headline-09-30-2026) — Trump says Netanyahu told him an Israeli plumber stabilized plane during attack - [Fox 17](https://fox17.com/news/nation-world/headline-09-30-2026) — Trump says Netanyahu told him plumber stabilized plane during apparent attempted hijacking - [WACH](https://wach.com/news/nation-world/headline-09-30-2026) — Trump says Netanyahu told him 'Israeli plumber' stabilized hijacked flight - [Washington Examiner](https://washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/4749249/trump-netanyahu-israeli-plumber-stabilized-hijacked-flydubai-plane-broke-into-cockpit) — Trump says Netanyahu told him 'Israeli plumber' stabilized hijacked flight - [Unknown](https://arabic.pressbee.net/show11020788.html?title=%D8%A3%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%82-%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A8-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%AB%D8%A9-%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%8A-%D8%AF%D8%A8%D9%8A) — Trump's First Comment on a Plane Crash. - [news-pravda.com](https://news-pravda.com/russia/2026/09/30/2632206.html) — Valentin Bogdanov: After speaking with Netanyahu, Trump said that the Flydubai plane was saved by an Israeli plumber who had never flown an aircraft before - [notizie.it](https://notizie.it/trump-un-idraulico-ha-salvato-tutti-sul-volo-dubai-tel-aviv) — Trump: A Plumber Saved Everyone on the Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight - [Rec News | Lontani dal mainstream](https://recnews.it/2026/09/30/trump-un-idraulico-ha-salvato-tutti-sul-volo-dubai-tel-aviv) — Trump: A Plumber Saved Everyone on the Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight - [Ynet News](https://ynetnews.com/article/gw2a0d61g) — Trump on Fly Dubai flight: 'Israeli plumber who never flew a plane straightened it be - [JDN - חדשות](https://jdn.co.il/news/2736308) — Trump on the Plane Incident: Netanyahu Said an Israeli Plumber Prevented a Crash - [CNN Brasil](https://cnnbrasil.com.br/internacional/trump-diz-que-falou-com-netanyahu-sobre-ataque-em-aviao-da-flydubai) — Trump Says He Spoke to Netanyahu About Flydubai's Plane Attack - [Prensa Libre](https://prensalibre.com/internacional/trump-revela-lo-que-netanyahu-le-conto-sobre-el-copiloto-de-flydubai-quiza-un-terrorista) — Trump Reveals What Netanyahu Told Him About Flydubai’s Co-Pilot: “Perhaps a Terrorist” - [Globo](https://g1.globo.com/mundo/noticia/2026/09/30/trump-diz-que-heroi-que-evitou-queda-de-aviao-em-israel-e-encanador-que-via-programa-sobre-desastres-aereos.ghtml) — Trump Says 'Hero' Who Avoided Plane Crash in Israel Is Plumber ## Questions **What did Donald Trump say happened on the Flydubai flight?** Donald Trump stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told him about an incident where the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the pilot and attempted to crash the plane. Trump recounted that an Israeli plumber, with no flying experience, intervened to steady the aircraft. **Did Donald Trump confirm the account of the Flydubai incident?** No, Donald Trump explicitly stated he was relaying an account he heard from Benjamin Netanyahu and others, and that he did not know if the story was true or independently confirmed. **Who was identified as the pilot of the Flydubai flight?** The Hindustan Times identified the pilot as Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, and described him as a hero for fighting off the co-pilot's attack. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/conflict/trump-says-netanyahu-told-him-plumber-steadied-flydubai-flight. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Trump says Netanyahu told him plumber steadied Flydubai flight", https://mediabias.news/conflict/trump-says-netanyahu-told-him-plumber-steadied-flydubai-flight