TEL AVIV/DUBAI/ISLAMABAD (MNN); A Flydubai passenger plane carrying more than 170 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a fight broke out between two pilots, with Israeli officials saying the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the pilot and attempted to interfere with the aircraft’s controls.
Passengers and crew intervened, subdued the attacker and helped secure the cockpit, allowing another set of pilots aboard the aircraft to land the plane safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident as a highly serious security event and said those who intervened had prevented a major disaster.
The aircraft, Flydubai flight FZ1073, issued an emergency alert after a sudden and rapid descent. Flight-tracking data cited by Reuters showed the aircraft descended by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds, while AP reported that the plane dropped from about 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in roughly a minute before making an erratic turn near the Jordanian border.
The aircraft subsequently landed safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk. Airport authorities said the captain and first officer were injured and were taken for medical treatment. Passengers were also provided medical assistance.
According to Netanyahu, a passenger and a crew member broke into the cockpit after the aircraft began diving and found the co-pilot allegedly attempting to sabotage the aircraft’s systems. Other pilots on board, who were due to replace the original flight crew, subsequently took control and landed the aircraft.
An Israeli official said the altercation involved a knife. Reuters reported that an Israeli official identified the co-pilot as an Omani national, while Israeli media carried conflicting accounts about the nationalities of the pilots. Saudi authorities arrested the co-pilot after the aircraft landed, according to Netanyahu.
Flydubai confirmed that an “altercation occurred in the flight deck” and said the aircraft was secured by the crew, who diverted the flight and landed safely. The airline said the reasons behind the incident remained unknown and cautioned against premature speculation.
Passengers described scenes of panic after hearing shouting and a struggle near the cockpit. One passenger, Naama Bershadski, recalled fearing that those aboard would die and said she closed her eyes and prayed. Another passenger’s mother told reporters that her daughter heard someone screaming for help and saw a man with a knife forcing one of the pilots to the floor.
Video footage reviewed by The Associated Press showed two wounded and bloodied men on the aircraft floor, while other passengers appeared to provide medical assistance and guard the cockpit.
Israel scrambled fighter jets after the aircraft issued the emergency alert because of concerns about a possible hijacking, according to an Israeli official. The aircraft eventually landed safely in Saudi Arabia, where authorities began dealing with the incident.
After spending about eight hours on the ground, the passengers departed Saudi Arabia for Israel aboard a replacement Flydubai aircraft.
The motive behind the confrontation remained unclear. Flydubai said the underlying reasons for the incident were unknown, while Israeli authorities announced that the incident would be jointly investigated by the Transport Ministry and defence establishment.
The incident comes weeks before Israel’s election and shortly before the anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack, amid heightened security concerns in the country. Netanyahu had warned in recent days of unspecified increased security threats.
The emergency landing also highlights the unusual aviation cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Although Saudi Arabia does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel, it ended its longstanding ban on Israeli aircraft overflying its territory in 2022 and has since facilitated emergency landings involving Israeli passengers.
The UAE and Israel established diplomatic relations in 2020, leading to increased travel between the two countries. Flydubai operates regular flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, a route used by many Israeli travellers.
Saudi authorities and Flydubai said the passengers were safe and accounted for, while the investigation into the cockpit altercation and the alleged attempt to interfere with the aircraft remained ongoing.
