Wed 30 September 2026:
Pilot allegedly attempted to take control of Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, Israeli officials say
A flydubai passenger aircraft travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after an altercation involving one of its pilots, with Israeli officials saying the incident may have been an attempted hijacking.
The aircraft, operating as flight FZ1073 and carrying 174 passengers, landed safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport, also known as Tabuk Airport, flydubai confirmed.
Footage taken by a passenger aboard the flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv after the plane took a rapid plunge. pic.twitter.com/somQLDoF8m
— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) September 30, 2026
An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that a “major disaster was narrowly avoided”, amid concerns that one of the pilots may have attempted to seize control of the aircraft with the intention of crashing it.
Israeli sources told CNN they suspect the co-pilot of an Israel-bound Flydubai flight forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia tried to hijack the plane after stabbing the captain. It is unclear if the intention was to crash the jet or take hostages.
According to the official, additional crew members, assisted by Israeli passengers aboard the aircraft, managed to restrain the pilot and regain control of the situation.
One of the pilots of the diverted Israel-bound Flydubai flight stabbed the other pilot and appears to have tried to crash the plane, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
The Israel-bound flydubai jet plunged about 4,000 meters after the co-pilot started stabbing the captain. Passengers and extra crew members took back control of the cockpit. pic.twitter.com/cOOviW4oj6
— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) September 30, 2026
Netanyahu said “almost all” of the passengers on the flight were Israelis, some of whom were able to break into the cockpit with crew members and subdue the assailant.
❗️Israeli PM Netanyahu Commends ‘Courageous Heroes Who Saved Many Lives’ Following ‘Serious Security Incident’ on Flydubai Flight to Tel Aviv
Netanyahu confirmed that ‘one crew member has been detained and is being questioned by Saudi authorities.’ pic.twitter.com/Xdc0UA09X4
— RT_India (@RT_India_news) September 30, 2026
“I spoke with one of the Israeli passengers. He told me that the plane went into a spin and began to dive. He told me that somehow he managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members and together they neutralized the stabbing pilot while he was trying to sabotage the aircraft’s systems,” Netanyahu said.
Flydubai confirms cockpit altercation
A flydubai spokesperson confirmed that the crew secured the aircraft following a flight deck “altercation”.
The airline said the “underlying reasons and motives behind this event remain unknown and are subject to a formal investigation.”
Flydubai said two replacement aircraft had been dispatched to transport the affected passengers and crew, while urging the public to “refrain from premature speculation while authorities gather the facts.”
The incident occurred while the aircraft was in flight between the United Arab Emirates and Israel.
❗📹 ‘Two Other Pilots Took Control’: Passenger’s Mother Recounts Flydubai Mid-Air Scare
“He took a knife and tried to kill the pilot,” recounted a passenger’s mother, adding that her daughter heard screams and calls for help before the plane began to lose control.
Israeli… https://t.co/4shM811Qnl pic.twitter.com/OsLwlfCd8W
— RT_India (@RT_India_news) September 30, 2026
Aircraft reportedly lost 4,000 metres in altitude
Israeli officials said the incident is being examined as a possible act of terrorism.
The Israeli security establishment, including the Israel Defense Forces, Mossad and Shin Bet, reportedly believes the incident may have been deliberate, although the circumstances and motive remain subject to investigation.
During the altercation, the aircraft reportedly dropped approximately 4,000 metres in altitude.
The flight initially transmitted squawk code 7700, the internationally recognised transponder code for a general emergency. It subsequently switched to 7500, the code indicating unlawful interference, before returning to 7700.
Israeli media later reported that 166 of the 174 passengers were Israeli nationals.
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Israeli fighter jets scrambled
As the situation developed, the Israel Air Force reportedly scrambled fighter aircraft as a precaution and increased its alert level.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also convened a security meeting with defence officials, according to Walla and The Jerusalem Post.
Following the meeting, the Prime Minister’s Office said:
“The incident is under control, and all measures are currently being deployed in order to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel.”
Israeli airspace was temporarily closed during the incident before being reopened after the aircraft landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
The passengers and crew are expected to be transferred to replacement aircraft as authorities investigate what happened aboard the flydubai flight.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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