Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight Diverted to Saudi Arabia After Mid-Air Cockpit Stabbing

A Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, Israel, was forced to make an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia on Wednesday following a violent confrontation in the cockpit that left both the captain and first officer injured and sent the aircraft into a sudden, steep dive.

Flydubai flight FZ1073 was carrying roughly 150 passengers, most of whom are Israeli nationals, and departed Dubai International Airport in the early morning. Tracking data from Flightradar24 shows that roughly two hours into the journey, while flying over Jordan, the Boeing 737 Max 8 plummeted sharply, losing thousands of feet in height within seconds. The aircraft briefly sent a standard emergency code before issuing a "squawk 7500" alert indicating unlawful interference or a potential hijacking, before making a manual descent into Saudi Arabian airspace.

Screams and Panic Mid-Flight

Witnesses and family members of passengers described harrowing scenes on board as crew and travellers scrambled to regain control of the aircraft.

Yasmin Abukasis told news outlets that her daughter called her from the plane after it touched down, describing a terrifying scene where a man brandishing a blade forced a pilot to the ground:

"The plane start to lose control. So all the people, they scream, they think they are going”.

Another female passenger speaking to local media captured the terror in the cabin as the plane lost altitude:

"We understood the pilots lost control…There are people here with shirts covered in blood. Now we are fine and want to return home."

Reports indicate that cabin crew and passengers managed to intervene and restrain the attacker, allowing additional crew members on board to safely bring the aircraft down at Tabuk, which also serves as a Saudi military base.

Conflicting Accounts and Ongoing Investigation

Both injured pilots were taken to a local hospital upon arrival in Tabuk. While early reports pointed to a physical fight between crew members, Israeli officials later suggested that the incident was an attempted "terror attack" by a co-pilot using a knife, explicitly ruling out mental health issues. Other accounts from local media suggested possible cockpit disputes or suicide attempts, with conflicting details regarding the nationalities of the flight crew.

Tabuk Airport confirmed both pilots were being treated for injuries, though local authorities have not officially confirmed the motive or the identity of the assailant.

In a statement posted on social media, Israeli far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir responded to the news, writing: "terrorism is a devil with whom no agreement must be reached".

Prime Minister Responds as Recovery Effort Underway

Following the emergency landing, both Israeli and Saudi Arabian fighter jets were deployed, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cleared his schedule to hold emergency security consultations.

A statement from the Israeli Prime Minister's office assured the public that:

"The incident is under control, and all measures are currently being deployed in order to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel".

Flydubai confirmed the diversion, stating that the flight "experienced an incident while en route". The airline added that "all passengers are safe and accounted for" and that "Our teams are working closely with the relevant authorities."

A replacement Flydubai flight was dispatched from Dubai to pick up the stranded passengers in Saudi Arabia and complete the journey to Tel Aviv.