Mid‑Air scare: Co‑Pilot attacks captain mid‑flight, Israelis subdue assailant
Tel Aviv/Dubai, September 30: Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a violent incident on board. The flight sent an emergency signal and for a short while, there were fears of a possible hijacking. The plane later landed safely in Tabuk and all passengers were reported safe. There were 174 passengers on board, including 27 children. All on board the plane survived, although both pilots had to be hospitalized.
Flydubai said that an “incident” occurred on the flight to Tel Aviv, following which the plane was diverted to Tabuk. According to the airline, the plane landed safely and all passengers have been accounted for.
According to media reports, the plane was carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children and over 150 Israelis. Two hours into the flight, the situation escalated when the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with a knife and attempted to seize control of the plane. Israeli passengers and crew entered the cockpit and subdued the attacker. A dentist on board treated the injured captain, while two additional pilots diverted the plane to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. All aboard the plane survived, although both pilots had to be hospitalized.
An Israeli official stated that passengers also reported screaming and seeing blood in the cockpit. The mother of one passenger told the media that her daughter heard screams on the plane and saw a man with a knife throw one of the pilots to the ground.
Meanwhile, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24, the plane suddenly and rapidly lost altitude during the flight. The plane dropped approximately 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds. It then changed course and headed for Tabuk.
Following a standard emergency signal, the plane also sent an alert indicating possible unauthorized interference. This initially raised suspicions of a hijacking. However, Israeli Prime Minister’s Office spokesman Doron Spielman stated that the incident was not being considered a hijacking.
Following the incident, high-level security meetings were held in Israel. The Israeli Air Force sent fighter jets, although they returned before entering Saudi Arabian airspace. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office stated that the situation was “under control” and all necessary steps were being taken to ensure the safe return of the passengers. Two Israeli officials, based on preliminary assessments, linked the incident to a possible “terrorist” attempt.
Following the incident, conflicting reports emerged in Israeli media regarding the pilots’ nationalities and the sequence of events. Some reports identified the pilots as Omani and Saudi Arabian citizens, while others claimed Russian and Ukrainian nationality. At present, neither Flydubai nor the relevant authorities have officially confirmed the pilots’ identities and nationalities.
According to Tabuk Airport officials, the captain and co-pilot were both injured and hospitalized. The passengers on board were provided with necessary assistance, and all passengers are reported safe.
The Israel Airports Authority has set up a special waiting and information area for the passengers’ families in the Domestic Arrivals Hall of Terminal 1 at Ben Gurion Airport.
Flydubai is arranging another aircraft to transport the passengers from Tabuk to Israel. Meanwhile, the actual sequence of events, the violence in the cockpit, emergency signals, and possible motive are being investigated.
