Brief

Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv diverted after cockpit stabbing, all aboard safe

Passengers and crew subdued the attacker and the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk after a rapid descent.

By Felo News Desk · Published Wed, 30 Sep 2026 21:28:11 GMT

A Flydubai Boeing 737 operating as flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia on 30 September 2026 after a cockpit altercation that left the plane descending sharply.

What happened

At 08:44 a.m. local time, about two and a half hours after take‑off, the aircraft issued an emergency signal and began a rapid loss of altitude of roughly 14,000 ft within a minute. The flight, carrying around 150‑170 passengers, most of them Israelis, changed course over Jordan and proceeded to land in Tabuk.

What the reports add

According to the Independent, the captain and first officer were fighting in the cockpit when one pilot stabbed the other, prompting the emergency. Al Jazeera reported that the co‑pilot, identified by an Israeli official as an Omani national, was arrested after landing, though the nationality has not been independently verified. NBC News highlighted that passengers and a crew member entered the cockpit to subdue the attacker while other crew regained control of the aircraft. The Independent also noted that Israel scrambled fighter jets in response to the alert, fearing a possible hijacking.

What was said

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a pilot had stabbed his colleague in an attempt to crash the plane, as reported by Al Jazeera. Israel’s Ministry of Transport announced a joint investigation with the defence establishment, also cited by Al Jazeera.

How it came about

Felo previously reported on the same incident in two articles published on 30 September 2026, confirming that all 180 passengers and crew were safe after the aircraft landed in Tabuk and that both pilots were taken to hospital with injuries. Those pieces provide the baseline context for the current coverage, linking the emergency to heightened security concerns ahead of Israel’s upcoming election.

Key facts

Flydubai flight FZ1073 was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia after a cockpit emergency. (independent.co.uk)
The aircraft lost about 14,000 ft in less than a minute before landing. (aljazeera.com)
All passengers and crew were reported safe and accounted for. (independent.co.uk)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a pilot stabbed his colleague in an attempted crash. (aljazeera.com)
The co‑pilot was arrested after landing; his nationality was reported as Omani by an Israeli official but not independently verified. (aljazeera.com)