The Israeli Prime Minister confirmed that a Flydubai pilot stabbed another pilot while controlling the aircraft en route to Israel and attempted to crash the plane, but was stopped before the plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
On Wednesday, 30 Sep 2026 GMT+7, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, issued a statement regarding the incident on Flydubai flight FZ 1073, saying that one pilot stabbed another and tried to crash the plane but was stopped. The assailant has been arrested and is under investigation by Saudi authorities.
"During the flight, as the plane was approaching Israel, one of the pilots used a sharp object to stab another pilot and apparently attempted to crash the plane along with the passengers onboard."
I spoke with an Israeli passenger who told me that the plane began to spin and rapidly lose altitude. He said he managed to break into the cockpit with a crew member, and together they subdued the attacking pilot who was trying to interfere with the plane's controls.
Another crew member entered the cockpit and was able to regain control and stabilize the plane. I salute these heroes for their quick thinking and exceptional bravery. They saved many lives and prevented a major tragedy.
The plane landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. All passengers are now safe. The pilot who stabbed the other has been arrested and is currently being investigated by Saudi authorities."
Flydubai confirmed that the crew on flight FZ 1073 "safely controlled the situation," diverting the flight and safely landing at Tabuk Airport. However, the motive behind the attack remains unclear and is under official investigation.
Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the aircraft rapidly dropped about 17,000 feet (5,200 meters), then climbed 5,000 feet before dropping another 7,000 feet, eventually stabilizing at around 15,000 feet. This entire sequence occurred within less than five minutes.
Marco Chan, an aviation operations expert from Kingston University, said the plane sent an emergency code 7500, indicating "unlawful interference," suggesting the descent was not accidental or due to technical error.
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Source:bbc