On September 30, Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, carrying around 180 passengers, made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after an incident in the cockpit. According to the Israeli assessment, the co-pilot attacked the captain with a knife and may have tried to deliberately crash the aircraft, after which passengers intervened and helped subdue the attacker.
The incident was reported by Reuters and The Times of Israel.
According to Flightradar24, Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv suddenly descended by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds. The aircraft then transmitted a general emergency signal, followed by another signal indicating possible unlawful interference. It remains unclear who sent the signals.
Three Israeli officials, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, said Israel’s current assessment is that the incident may have been an attempted “terror attack,” rather than an episode related to the mental health of either pilot.
The mother of one passenger said her daughter heard screaming and saw a man holding a knife pinning one of the pilots to the floor. According to her, there was a large amount of blood inside the cabin.
Flydubai confirmed only that an “incident” occurred on the flight, prompting the aircraft to divert to Tabuk. The airline said the plane landed safely and that all passengers were safe and accounted for.
According to The Times of Israel, around 180 passengers were on board, including approximately 150 Israelis. After the co-pilot’s attack, a group of passengers entered the cockpit, subdued him and helped stabilize the aircraft. One passenger said that two other pilots who were traveling as passengers then took control of the plane.
The captain was a UAE citizen, while the co-pilot was an Omani citizen who had worked for Flydubai for less than a year. Both pilots were hospitalized after the landing, while Saudi authorities began investigating the co-pilot’s actions.
The Times of Israel also reported that the aircraft initially dropped from around 34,000 feet to 17,000 feet in under a minute, then briefly climbed to 21,700 feet before sharply descending again to below 15,000 feet. After landing, photos appeared to show damage to the rudder at the rear of the aircraft.
By midday, Israel had not received permission from Saudi Arabia to send its own aircraft to pick up the passengers, so they were expected to return on another Flydubai flight.
