Israeli fighter jets scrambled after Dubai–Tel Aviv flight plunged thousands of feet. Both pilots hospitalised as authorities investigate a suspected terrorist attack.
By Dwayne Ferreira | The Morning Telegraph | 30 September 2026
A flydubai passenger aircraft carrying approximately 150 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after its co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain during a violent cockpit confrontation, triggering a hijacking alert and an immediate Israeli military response.
The extraordinary incident aboard flight FZ1073 reportedly saw passengers and cabin crew intervene to restrain one of the pilots as the aircraft experienced a dramatic loss of altitude.
According to reporting by BBC News, Reuters, CNN and The Associated Press, Israeli fighter jets were scrambled after the Boeing 737 MAX 8 transmitted emergency signals associated with a possible aircraft hijacking.
Both pilots were subsequently hospitalised with injuries after the aircraft landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
Israeli security officials are now investigating whether the incident constituted an attempted terrorist attack, although its motive and the full sequence of events have not been officially established.
Co-Pilot Allegedly Stabs Captain in Mid-Air
According to an updated Reuters report on Wednesday, two Israeli officials said they believed the aircraft’s co-pilot had stabbed the captain before cabin crew entered the cockpit and intervened.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, indicated that Israeli authorities were treating the episode as a possible deliberate attack rather than an ordinary disagreement between crew members.
BBC News also reported on the physical confrontation between the pilots, citing Israeli defence officials and eyewitness accounts.
A passenger account reported by international media described screaming and confusion as the confrontation unfolded.
Reuters quoted Yasmin Abukasis, whose daughter Miriam was aboard the aircraft, as saying her daughter had described a man holding a knife and forcing one of the pilots to the floor.
Blood was also reportedly visible in the aircraft.
However, flydubai has not released a detailed public account confirming the circumstances of the alleged stabbing.
Passengers and Cabin Crew Restrain Pilot
One of the most striking developments came from passenger testimony describing how those aboard the aircraft helped bring the cockpit emergency under control.
BBC Live coverage reported an account from an Israeli passenger who said the cabin crew had requested assistance and that passengers helped tackle and tie down one of the pilots.
The reports suggest that passengers and flight attendants intervened during the struggle to prevent the confrontation from escalating.
Separate reporting by Reuters, citing Israeli officials, stated that cabin crew entered the cockpit and took control of the situation after the alleged stabbing.
The precise number of passengers involved, the method used to restrain the pilot and the order in which events occurred have not been independently established.
Nevertheless, multiple accounts indicate that intervention by those aboard the aircraft played a significant role in restoring control during the emergency.
Off-Duty Pilots Reportedly Helped Land Aircraft
Further accounts from passengers suggested that two additional pilots were travelling aboard the aircraft when the emergency occurred.
The Morning Telegraph was informed of a BBC Live update indicating that British and European spare pilots aboard the flight helped bring the aircraft safely to the ground.
Separately, Israeli media accounts described two off-duty pilots being called upon to assist after the confrontation involving the operating flight crew.
One passenger reportedly described alerting the additional pilots and urging them to take control of the aircraft.
However, the identities, nationalities and exact operational roles of the additional pilots have not been officially confirmed by flydubai.
It also remains unclear whether the aircraft was landed entirely by the additional pilots or through a combination of assistance from other qualified flight crew.
The airline has not yet published a comprehensive account of how cockpit responsibilities were transferred during the emergency.
Aircraft Plunges Approximately 17,000 Feet
The aircraft’s flight profile has attracted particular attention from aviation observers.
CNN reported that flight-tracking information showed the aircraft descending approximately 17,400 feet, from around 34,000 feet to 16,600 feet, in just over two minutes.
Reuters separately reported that Flightradar24 recorded an even more abrupt descent of nearly 14,000 feet within approximately 30 seconds before the aircraft stabilised.
The variation reflects different flight-tracking measurements and reporting intervals.
The aircraft’s rapid loss of altitude occurred before it transmitted a series of emergency signals.
According to Reuters and Flightradar24, the aircraft initially transmitted transponder code 7700, indicating a general emergency.
Minutes later, it transmitted code 7500, internationally recognised as signalling unlawful interference, including a suspected hijacking.
The signal was subsequently changed back to code 7700 before the aircraft diverted towards Tabuk.
Although these transmissions triggered immediate concern, investigators have not yet determined who activated the codes or whether the aircraft’s descent was directly connected to the reported cockpit struggle.
Israeli Fighter Jets Scrambled Amid Security Emergency
The emergency signals prompted an immediate military and security response from Israel.
CNN and the Associated Press reported that Israeli Air Force fighter jets were scrambled after authorities received information suggesting that the Tel Aviv-bound aircraft might have been hijacked.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held urgent consultations with national security and military officials as the situation developed.
According to Reuters, Israel’s military chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, also conducted a security assessment involving senior air force personnel.
Netanyahu reportedly cleared his schedule to oversee developments.
The emergency raised considerable concern because the aircraft was travelling towards Israel with a large number of Israeli passengers aboard.
However, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office initially stated that the incident was not believed to constitute a conventional aircraft hijacking.
Subsequent assessments suggested that the authorities were investigating a potentially different form of deliberate attack.
Israeli Officials Suspect Attempted Terrorist Attack
In a significant development, Reuters reported that two Israeli officials said their government’s assessment was that the incident may have been an attempted terrorist attack by one of the pilots.
The officials distinguished this suspicion from earlier accounts suggesting an ordinary fight or a possible mental health-related episode.
The reported stabbing of the captain, together with the aircraft’s abrupt descent and emergency signals, has become central to the security investigation.
Nevertheless, the allegation of terrorism remains an assessment by Israeli officials rather than a finding established through a completed investigation.
No officially confirmed motive has been made public.
Authorities have also not established whether the reported confrontation was intended to seize control of the aircraft, deliberately endanger its passengers or arose from another cause.
Both Pilots Hospitalised in Saudi Arabia
Reuters reported that Tabuk Airport confirmed both pilots had been admitted to hospital following the aircraft’s emergency landing.
According to passenger accounts carried by international media, one pilot sustained more serious injuries while the other suffered comparatively minor injuries.
However, their precise medical conditions have not been officially detailed.
The aircraft landed safely at Tabuk Airport, where Saudi authorities responded to the emergency.
Flydubai confirmed that flight FZ1073 had experienced an incident while travelling between Dubai International Airport and Ben Gurion International Airport.
The airline said all passengers were safe and accounted for and that it was cooperating with the relevant authorities.
No passenger fatalities or injuries have been confirmed.
Second Flydubai Flight Sparks Further Confusion
The aviation emergency was followed by reports concerning another flydubai aircraft travelling between Dubai and Tel Aviv.
Initial flight-tracking reports suggested that a second flydubai service, identified in subsequent reporting as flight FZ1081, had been diverted and was returning to Dubai.
The Economic Times carried information about the apparent diversion, adding to uncertainty surrounding airline operations on the route.
However, subsequent reporting, citing Israeli aviation information, indicated that the flight had continued towards Tel Aviv as scheduled and that the earlier diversion reports were incorrect.
The second-flight alert therefore remains separate from the confirmed emergency involving flight FZ1073.
There is no established evidence connecting the second aircraft to the reported confrontation aboard the first flight.
As investigations continue, further official findings will be required to establish precisely what happened aboard the aircraft and whether the incident involved a deliberate attempt to endanger the flight.
News sources and international coverage
BBC News Live: Israel-bound flight lands in Saudi Arabia after reported fight between pilots — Live coverage of the cockpit confrontation, emergency signals and passenger accounts. Direct access to the live page was unavailable during verification.
Reuters: Israeli Officials Say Flydubai Incident May Be Attempted Terror Attack — Updated reporting confirming both pilots were hospitalised and detailing Israeli officials’ allegations.
Reuters
Associated Press: Dubai–Israel Aircraft Diverted to Saudi Arabia After Distress Call — Details of the emergency landing and security response.
AP News
The Guardian: Israel-Bound Passenger Plane Makes Emergency Landing After Reported Pilot Fight — Passenger intervention, injuries and the investigation.
The Guardian
Financial Times: UAE–Israel Flight Diverted After Incident and Dramatic Descent — Aviation disruption, second-flight reporting and the wider security implications.
Financial Times
