On 30 September 2026, Flydubai flight FZ1073, operating a Boeing 737 MAX from Dubai to Tel Aviv with approximately 174 passengers, was forced to divert to Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia following a violent altercation between the two pilots. The incident triggered emergency signals, a rapid descent, and a major international security response. All passengers and crew were reported safe after the emergency landing.
According to Hindustan Times, a second team of pilots in civilian clothes intervened to safely land the aircraft after the cockpit altercation. The aircraft descended sharply from 34,000 feet to around 16,600 feet in just over two minutes before landing at Tabuk airport. Israeli military officials, including Chief of Staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, conducted an immediate assessment of the situation.
As reported by Hindustan Times, Israel’s security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir described the event as a “terrorist” attack, alleging an attempt to crash the plane and kill Israeli passengers. However, initial statements from the Israeli Prime Minister’s office indicated the incident was not believed to be a hijacking, but rather a different type of emergency.
As highlighted by Financial Express, a second Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv turned back to Dubai shortly after the FZ1073 incident. The reason for this diversion was not immediately clear, but it followed the emergency signals and diversion of FZ1073, which had prompted Israeli authorities to scramble fighter jets and hold urgent security consultations.
As noted in an article by The Indian Express, videos posted by passengers showed the aftermath of the cockpit confrontation, including a bloodied pilot and passengers expressing fear of a hijacking. One passenger stated, “We’re here during the hijacking of an airplane. At this point we’ve subdued the terrorists, we’re approaching landing. Whoever is hearing me, we need help.”
Authorities are investigating whether one of the pilots attempted to crash the aircraft before it was diverted. Flydubai confirmed that all passengers were safe and accounted for after the emergency landing at Tabuk Airport.
Passenger accounts described chaotic scenes, with one stating that screams were heard and blood was visible after a pilot was stabbed with a pocketknife as coverage revealed. Crew members and Israeli passengers reportedly helped restrain the attacker and bring the situation under control.
Physical confrontation between the pilots was confirmed by Israeli officials, who stated that the emergency signals were transmitted after the altercation as reporting indicated. The co-pilot is under investigation amid indications that he tried to take over the plane in order to crash it.
“We heard screams on the plane. Then they opened the cockpit and we saw blood, and someone had stabbed the pilot with a pocketknife,” a passenger recounted.
The sequence of emergency signals included a Squawk 7700 for general emergency, followed by 7500 for unlawful interference, which is commonly associated with hijacking as details emerged. This led to a rapid response from Israeli authorities, including the scrambling of fighter jets and high-level security consultations.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.