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A Flydubai pilot stabbed his co-pilot and attempted to hijack an aircraft traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv in what Israeli officials are describing as a suspected terrorist attack.
The incident unfolded Wednesday morning when Flight FZ1073 experienced a catastrophic descent of nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before passengers managed to overpower the attacker.
The Boeing 737 aircraft, carrying 180 passengers, was forced to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after chaos erupted in the cockpit.
Passengers reported hearing screaming and witnessing a man armed with a knife attack the pilot, leaving blood throughout the cabin.
“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,” one passenger said during the ordeal.
Israeli passengers aboard the flight took action when they realized what was happening. According to Meital, a passenger whose husband was involved in the confrontation, “Someone shouted ‘stabbing’ and my husband immediately understood what was happening and rushed to the front of the plane, and along with other Israelis they neutralized the terrorist.”
Israeli Defence Minister Issawi Frej credited the passengers’ bravery, stating that the crisis was “thwarted only thanks to the bravery of several Israeli passengers who broke into the cockpit, overpowered the terrorist and, with their own hands, restored control of the plane to another flight crew who was present there.”
An official told The Jerusalem Post that the passengers had “narrowly avoided a major disaster.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that one pilot has been arrested and is being interrogated by Saudi authorities. Netanyahu addressed the security consultations held following the incident and cleared his schedule for the remainder of the day to manage the crisis.
“All passengers are out of danger and Israel is in close contact with the relevant authorities to ensure the continued safety of the passengers and their safe return to Israel,” Netanyahu said.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir described the incident as an attempted terrorist attack, stating that “a terrorist who planned to crash a plane and murder the 180 Israelis on board” was behind the assault.
Both the pilot and co-pilot were hospitalized following the emergency landing at Tabuk Airport. All passengers remained safe and accounted for. Two replacement aircraft were dispatched to transport the approximately 180 Israeli passengers back to Israel.
A Flydubai spokesperson confirmed that “an altercation occurred in the flight deck” before the aircraft was “secured by on-duty flydubai crew.”
The airline stated that the motives remain unknown and are “subject to a formal investigation.”
Additionally, a second Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv (FZ1081) diverted back to Dubai following the incident, though it remains unclear whether this was a precautionary measure or the result of another incident.
This is not the first emergency landing on the Dubai-Tel Aviv route. A Flydubai flight made an emergency landing in Riyadh in September 2025 due to a medical emergency. Flydubai operates daily flights on this route, which remains popular among Israeli nationals.
The incident occurred against the backdrop of strengthening ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, which established diplomatic relations in 2020. Earlier this year, Israel provided the UAE with Iron Dome air-defence systems to help defend against Iranian attacks.
The UAE has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident. Flydubai has indicated the investigation is ongoing to determine the full circumstances and motives behind the attack.
