A senior UAE official said Friday that the incident aboard a flydubai flight to Israel this week was a "terrorist act", praising the captain who helped stop the plane from crashing after he was attacked by his co-pilot.

Presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said on X that Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, was a "true hero" and deserved "every appreciation".

"In confronting a serious terrorist act and a potential disaster, he embodied the true meaning of courage and responsibility," Gargash said.

The aircraft carrying 174 people was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after the pilot was stabbed by his co-pilot.

The exact circumstances of the incident and the motive of the assailant are under investigation in the United Arab Emirates, where the two men have been transferred.

"Vigilance and caution remain essential in the face of the dangers of extremism and terrorism," Gargash said.

Machchhar, in his first public remarks since the incident, said Friday that he had made one "last push" to unlock the cockpit door during the attack, allowing passengers and crew to intervene and regain control of the aircraft.

The plane was carrying mostly Israeli passengers and the flight had eight crew members.

© Agence France-Presse