What we know about stabbing on Flydubai flight to Israel

A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced to land in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after a violent confrontation in the cockpit left both pilots injured and one of them arrested. According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the captain stabbed the first officer before attempting to crash the aircraft, prompting passengers and crew to intervene and wrest control of the plane. The aircraft, flight FZ1073, had taken off at 03:05 GMT with more than 150 people aboard, the majority of whom were Israeli, and after a rapid 17,000‑foot descent over Saudi airspace it emitted a hijack squawk before looping back into Saudi territory and touching down at 06:58. Passengers Yaniv Hayun and Zvika Meness described how they broke into the cockpit, restrained the attacker with zip ties and headphones, and helped the surviving pilot regain control, actions that Netanyahu praised as heroic.

The incident unfolded amid a series of alarming signals: the plane’s flight‑tracking data showed a sudden plunge of over 5,000 metres in less than two minutes, followed by an emergency transponder code for hijacking, and a brief incursion into Jordanian airspace before returning to Saudi skies. Israeli officials initially reported a fight between the two pilots, but later confirmed that one pilot had used a knife to stab his colleague and then tried to sabotage the aircraft’s instruments. Passengers recounted hearing a pilot’s cries for help, seeing blood on the floor, and experiencing a terrifying loss of control as the aircraft spun and descended. Two other pilots, identified by a passenger as a British and a European crew member, ultimately took over the controls after the attacker was subdued, allowing the plane to level out and land safely.

Saudi authorities arrested the assailant upon landing and began questioning him, while Israeli and Saudi air forces dispatched fighter jets in response to the emergency. Flydubai stated that an altercation occurred in the flight deck and that on‑duty crew members secured the aircraft, later sending two replacement planes to Tabuk to transport the passengers home. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz labeled the episode an “attempted jihadist terror attack,” though the BBC has not received official statements on motive. Passengers described the aftermath as chaotic, with blood‑stained shirts and frightened families, but also expressed relief that the crisis was averted. Netanyahu emphasized ongoing coordination with regional authorities to ensure passenger safety and lauded the passengers’ “extraordinary resourcefulness and courage” for preventing a potential disaster.

⚡ Effects Interpreter