Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv diverted to Saudi Arabia after pilots clash in cockpit

The aircraft landed safely in Tabuk after the two pilots allegedly fought, injuring both crew members.

By Felo News Desk · Published Wed, 30 Sep 2026 14:08:38 GMT

A Flydubai flight (FZ1073) bound for Tel Aviv was diverted to Tabuk airport in north‑western Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a reported violent altercation between the captain and co‑pilot, according to airline and news reports.

What happened

The aircraft took off from Dubai early on Wednesday and, while en route, sent an emergency signal. It then descended sharply, reportedly from about 34,000 feet to 14,400 feet, before landing safely at Tabuk. All 180 passengers and crew were accounted for.

What the reports add

Scroll.in cited CNN quoting Israeli officials that the incident involved a “violent incident” between the pilots, and said the co‑pilot was believed to have stabbed the captain before cabin crew took control. The outlet also noted that the airport operator in Saudi Arabia said both pilots were taken to hospital with injuries, without detailing the cause.

Standard.co.uk reported that an anonymous Israeli official said the pilots transmitted emergency signals after a physical altercation, and that passengers heard screams and saw blood. It added that the plane was in Jordanian airspace when the signals were sent and that unverified reports mentioned a knife and one pilot being put on the floor.

What was said

"We heard screams and saw blood. There were moments when we thought we weren’t going to make it out alive," an anonymous passenger told i24NEWS, as reported by Standard.co.uk.

"The flight experienced an incident en route to Tel Aviv and diverted to Tabuk, where it landed safely," an airline spokesperson told the news agency, per Standard.co.uk.

How it came about

Earlier on the same day, Felo News reported a similar incident, describing a pilot stabbing a co‑pilot on the same Flydubai flight and the subsequent emergency diversion (pilot‑stabbed‑co‑pilot‑flydubai). That article noted the aircraft dropped 17,400 feet in just over two minutes and that Israeli fighter jets were scrambled amid fears of a hijacking. The current reports confirm the diversion and the safe landing, adding details about the emergency signal, altitude change, and passenger accounts.

Key facts

Flydubai flight FZ1073 was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia after a cockpit altercation. (scroll.in)
All 180 passengers and crew were safe and accounted for after landing. (standard.co.uk)
Both pilots were taken to hospital with injuries. (scroll.in)

Where accounts differ

Cause of the emergency signal: It is not clear whether either pilot intentionally transmitted the signal. (scroll.in); An anonymous Israeli official said the pilots transmitted emergency signals after the altercation. (standard.co.uk)
Details of the physical injury: The co‑pilot was believed to have stabbed the captain. (scroll.in); Unsubstantiated reports mentioned a knife and one pilot being put to the floor. (standard.co.uk)