A Flydubai passenger jet traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced to divert to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after an apparent attack in the cockpit, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as an attempt to crash the plane and kill everyone on board. The incident occurred while the aircraft, Flight FZ1073, was traversing Jordanian airspace.
Netanyahu stated that one of the pilots had stabbed the other and then sought to sabotage the aircraft’s systems. He credited Israeli passengers who breached the cockpit and overpowered the attacker with preventing a major disaster. “I salute these heroes who demonstrated extraordinary resourcefulness and courage,” Netanyahu said.
Flight tracking data indicates the plane experienced significant altitude fluctuations approximately two and a half hours after departure. Around 05:22 GMT, the aircraft dropped more than 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds. At 05:31 GMT, a general emergency signal (code 7700) was transmitted, which was later changed to code 7500, indicating unlawful interference. The plane eventually landed safely at Tabuk regional airport in Saudi Arabia.
Video footage circulated from inside the cabin appeared to show the captain lying on the floor with visible stab wounds, while another passenger was seen with a head injury. Passengers described the chaos, with one telling Israeli newspaper Haaretz that they heard loud noises and felt the plane diving before a group broke into the cockpit.
Flydubai confirmed an altercation took place in the flight deck but emphasized that all passengers were safe and accounted for. The airline noted that crew members already on board secured the aircraft after the incident. According to a statement from Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, both the captain and first officer were hospitalized following the attack.
The motive behind the assault remains unclear, though Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz characterized the event as an “attempted jihadist terror attack.” An Israeli official speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity identified the suspect as an Omani national. Saudi authorities are currently interrogating the accused pilot.
Netanyahu has ordered security measures to be heightened for both Israeli and non-Israeli carriers operating in the region. The incident comes just days before the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks and ahead of Israel’s legislative elections on October 27.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized the government’s handling of the situation, accusing Netanyahu’s allies of exploiting the event for political gain. Lapid disputed claims that the attack was foreseen, stating that existing warnings about external threats were unrelated to aviation incidents.
Despite the disruption, officials clarified that a second Flydubai flight, FZ1081, was not diverted. Reports suggesting otherwise were attributed to a glitch on flight-tracking websites, and the second plane continued its course to Tel Aviv without issue. Israel and the UAE have maintained normalized diplomatic ties since 2020, making the route popular among Israeli tourists.
How did a pilot with a knife get through security screening in the first place? This screams systemic failure in aviation safety protocols.
It is terrifying to think about passengers having to physically storm the cockpit. That takes incredible bravery under such extreme pressure.