A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday morning following a dramatic incident in the cockpit. The aircraft, carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children, ultimately landed safely at Tabuk airport. In Israel, suspicions are mounting that the incident was an attempted terrorist attack.
Following an assessment by the IDF, Shin Bet and Mossad, senior representatives of the Israeli security establishment are now, according to Ynet, exploring the possibility that the co-pilot, who is from Oman, may have attempted to bring down the aircraft. The pilot from the United Arab Emirates reportedly resisted him and, with the support of the crew and several Israeli passengers, regained control of the plane. According to an Israeli official, an undercover security officer also helped subdue the suspect. Israeli authorities are reportedly involved in the investigation in Saudi Arabia. However, this account has not yet been conclusively confirmed.
Other international sources have so far described the incident more cautiously. Reuters reported, citing an Israeli official, that there was a physical altercation between the pilots. The Associated Press also reported a fight in the cockpit, citing officials familiar with the incident; no motive was initially known.
Flight FZ1073 had departed Dubai in the morning and was scheduled to land at Ben Gurion Airport at around 9:30 a.m. While the Boeing 737 was flying over the region, extreme changes in altitude suddenly occurred. According to data recorded by Flightradar24, the aircraft lost more than 14,000 feet — over 4,200 meters — in altitude in less than 30 seconds.
At 8:31 a.m. Israeli time, the aircraft first transmitted transponder code 7700, which signals a general aviation emergency. A few minutes later, at around 8:38 a.m., code 7500 was activated. This code is internationally recognized as signaling unlawful interference with a flight and is used in particular in the event of a possible hijacking. Flightradar24 confirmed the sequence of 7700, 7500 and then 7700 again.
In Israel, the signal immediately triggered a security alert. Two Israeli Air Force fighter jets were scrambled. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz convened an urgent security consultation; IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and other senior military officials were also involved in addressing the situation.
A passenger described dramatic scenes on board to i24NEWS. Screams were initially heard. When the cockpit door later opened, a large amount of blood was visible. According to her account, one pilot had been injured with a knife. A doctor and a nurse on board provided first aid, while passengers assisted crew members in bringing the alleged attacker under control. Reuters also reports witness statements regarding a knife and an injured pilot.
Heart-stopping footage from inside the flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv that plummeted to 15,000 feet shows panic among the passengers.
📹27A pic.twitter.com/GYfZh4wnzr
— C14 News | EN (@c14english) September 30, 2026
Meanwhile, the aircraft had changed course and was flying back into Saudi airspace. At around 9:35 a.m., reports emerged in Israel that the plane was on its way to land in Saudi Arabia. Ten minutes later, it landed safely in Tabuk.
WATCH: Moment the FLYDUBAI plane landed in Saudi Arabia safely pic.twitter.com/yDPuXgNlWb
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) September 30, 2026
Flydubai officially confirmed only an “incident during the flight.” The aircraft had landed safely in Tabuk, all passengers were unharmed and being cared for. The airline was working closely with the relevant authorities and would release further information as soon as confirmed details were available. The airline initially made no comment on the cause of the incident or a possible terrorist motive.
The Prime Minister’s office stated that the situation was under control and that all necessary measures were being taken to bring the Israeli passengers home safely. Flydubai had initially offered to send a replacement aircraft from Dubai to Saudi Arabia. Later, Netanyahu and Katz instructed the IDF, according to Ynet, to make military aircraft available for the repatriation of the passengers.
A violent altercation and stabbing in the cockpit of a FlyDubai flight over Saudi Arabia this morning caused the 737-8 to plummet 18,400 feet in just under two minutes, exceeding its maximum operating speed by nearly 100 kts.
The aircraft landed safely in Tabuk. pic.twitter.com/POg0WCN1WS
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) September 30, 2026
Whether a deliberate attempt was actually made to bring down the aircraft is the subject of the ongoing investigation. The assessment of a possible terrorist attack is currently based on Israeli security circles; a conclusive account from the Saudi authorities or Flydubai has not yet been provided.
Update, September 30, 1:50 p.m.: Further details about the incident have emerged. Reuters and The Associated Press, citing Israeli officials and those familiar with the incident, confirm a violent altercation in the cockpit. According to further information from Israeli security sources, reported by Ynet, the Omani co-pilot is suspected of attempting to crash the aircraft. The captain from the United Arab Emirates is said to have resisted him. Passengers and crew members reportedly helped to subdue the alleged assailant. Flydubai itself has confirmed an incident and the safe landing in Tabuk, but has not yet commented on a possible terrorist motive or the details of the altercation. The exact circumstances are still under investigation.
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