Passengers and crew on a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv overpowered a co-pilot who stabbed the captain and tried to crash the aircraft, Israeli officials said. The plane, Flight FZ1073, made an emergency landing in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday morning after plunging thousands of feet during a cockpit struggle.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident as a most serious security incident and said the co-pilot appeared to have tried to crash the plane with everyone on board. All 168 people on the flight were safe, but the event has triggered a security investigation and led flydubai to temporarily suspend its flights to and from Israel.
The Boeing 737-800 took off from the Dubai International Airport at about 4:30 am UAE time bound for Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. At around 5:28 am GMT, flight tracking data showed the aircraft suddenly dropped from nearly 34,000 feet to below 17,000 feet in about a minute.
According to Israeli officials, the co-pilot stabbed the captain during a violent altercation in the cockpit and then tried to sabotage the plane's systems. Passengers and cabin crew entered the cockpit, overpowered the assailant and enabled two additional flydubai pilots who were travelling as passengers to help land the aircraft.
The plane diverted to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia and landed safely at about 9:45 am local time. Both pilots were injured and taken to hospital. The co-pilot was arrested and is being interrogated by Saudi authorities.
Israeli Prime MInister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement that the co-pilot stabbed the second pilot and apparently tried to crash the plane with everyone on board. He thanked passengers and crew for subduing the attacker and said Saudi officials would question him.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz called the incident an attempted terrorist attack while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also alleged a terrorist motive. The UAE's aviation regulator , the GCAA , said the flight experienced a security incident that was brought under control.
Passengers on the flight described a terrifying experience. One told Israeli media she believed she was going to die as the plane plummeted. Others said they heard shouts from the front of the aircraft and felt the jet dip steeply before landing.
Flydubai flight transmitted a series of emergency transponder codes. At first it signalled a general emergency signal (squawk 7700) and then swiched to a hijack code (squawk 7500) before reverting back to 7700 as the plane diverted to Saudi Arabia.
After the emergency landing, the passengers were eventually transferred to another aircraft and continued to Tel Aviv. None of the passengers reported injuries, although both pilots were treated for stab wounds.
Saudi authorities are leading the initial interrogation of the co-pilot in Tabuk. Israeli and Emirati officials are expected to cooperate in the investigation. The motive remains under investigation, with officials cautioning against drawing conclusions before the inquiry is complete.
Flight FZ1073 is a regular flydubai service between Dubai and Tel Aviv. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-800, a workhorse of the low-cost carrier’s fleet. Flydubai is a Dubai state-owned airline that operates a large network across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the aviation and security communities, raising questions about cockpit security, crew training and the potential for insider threats on commercial flights. As investigators work to establish the motive, passengers and crew are being hailed as heroes for preventing a potential catastrophe.
