Flydubai flight diverts to Tabuk after co-pilot stabs captain in cockpit

Mid-air altercation and sudden descent

Flydubai flight FZ1073 (also operating as FDB1073), a Boeing 737 MAX flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 to 180 passengers on board, diverted to Saudi Arabia following a violent altercation in the cockpit. Approximately two hours and fifteen minutes after takeoff, the aircraft entered a sudden dive, falling from 34,000 feet to 17,000 feet in less than one minute. During the descent, flight tracking data showed the aircraft's speed accelerating from 411 knots to nearly 600 knots. The plane briefly climbed back to 21,650 feet before descending below 14,000 feet and continuing under manual flight control around 15,000 feet. Israeli defense authorities scrambled fighter jets after the aircraft transmitted squawk code 7500, indicating unlawful interference, alongside emergency code 7700 near the Jordanian and Saudi border.

Struggle inside the cockpit

According to passenger accounts and officials, the co-pilot attacked the captain with a knife and attempted to crash the aircraft. The co-pilot is an Omani national, while the captain is a citizen of the United Arab Emirates. Passengers responded to cries for help from the cockpit, where several travelers and cabin crew members breached the door to restrain the attacker. Video recorded following the confrontation showed the captain receiving first aid for bleeding outside the flight deck while the co-pilot was restrained and unconscious on the cabin floor. Flight control was subsequently taken by two off-duty airline pilots traveling as passengers, identified as a British national and a European national, who guided the aircraft toward an emergency landing.

Emergency landing in Tabuk

The diverted aircraft headed to Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, flying through regional airspace without communication with Israeli controllers. Airport operator Cluster2 coordinated the emergency landing as emergency teams prepared on the ground.

Tabuk airport received a distress signal at 8:44 a.m. local time from flight FZ1073, requesting an emergency landing.

The aircraft touched down safely approximately one hour after issuing the distress call. Both the captain and the co-pilot were transported to a local hospital in Tabuk for medical treatment. Saudi authorities opened an investigation into the co-pilot, focusing on the stabbing and the attempted crash.

Government reactions and investigation

The incident prompted security evaluations from Israeli authorities regarding the motive behind the attack. Two Israeli officials stated that the government is evaluating the incident as a potential terror attempt by the co-pilot. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office addressed the situation following the safe landing in Saudi Arabia, a country where Israeli citizens are ordinarily barred from entry for diplomatic reasons. Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for Netanyahu's office, stated that the situation did not appear to be a standard hijacking, describing it instead as a distinct event. A separate claim that a second Flydubai flight on the same route had diverted was confirmed to be a false alarm.