A Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after an apparent altercation between the pilots triggered emergency alerts during the journey. Flight FZ1073, carrying about 150 passengers, most of them Israeli, was initially headed for Ben-Gurion Airport before landing at Tabuk Airport in northeastern Saudi Arabia.
According to flight-tracking data, the aircraft issued an emergency signal about two hours after departing Dubai International Airport. It subsequently transmitted a code associated with a hijacking before returning to a general emergency signal. Israeli officials said the incident was not believed to be a hijacking, while local reports attributed the alerts to a confrontation between the pilot and co-pilot.
Passengers reportedly described moments of panic as the aircraft made a rapid descent. Flightradar24 data indicated that the plane descended more than 17,000 feet in less than two minutes shortly after 05:21 UTC. The aircraft briefly entered Jordanian airspace before turning back toward Saudi Arabia and beginning its descent into Tabuk.
The incident prompted a security response, with the Israeli Air Force reportedly dispatching fighter jets and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holding urgent consultations. Flydubai confirmed that the aircraft had experienced an incident while en route and said it was working with the relevant authorities as further details emerged. The exact circumstances of the reported cockpit altercation and the cause of the aircraft’s rapid descent remain subject to investigation.
As of 30 September 2026, late afternoon (Gulf/Israel time), the incident has moved decisively from “pilot dispute” to a suspected deliberate attack — though not every claim is confirmed.
The airline has now given a clear status
A Flydubai spokesperson said the aircraft landed safely at Tabuk Airport and all passengers are safe and accounted for, with teams working closely with the relevant authorities and further updates to follow as confirmed details emerge. This is the most important line in the file and should lead any headline.
The “fight” is now reported as a stabbing
Multiple outlets, citing Israeli media, report that the co-pilot repeatedly stabbed the captain, and that crew members and passengers broke through the cockpit door and subdued the attacker. A passenger identified as Tzvika Manes, who heads Barak Capital Underwriting under Bank Leumi, told Israeli media he was among those who helped restrain him, describing the scene as “insane.” Reports describe the captain as an Indian national and the co-pilot as an Omani national.
Israel’s position has hardened
The prime minister’s office earlier said a hijacking was not believed to have occurred. Israel’s security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has since characterised the incident as a terror attack, stating the suspect intended to crash the plane and kill the Israelis on board. Israeli journalist Amit Segal reported a senior official saying evidence was mounting that the man meant to take control and crash the aircraft, and that he was being questioned. Saudi and US allies scrambled jets during the episode.
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