Flydubai Flight Diverted to Saudi Arabia After Cockpit Altercation and Emergency Signals

A Flydubai flight traveling from the United Arab Emirates to Israel was diverted to Saudi Arabia following a distress signal and an apparent hijacking attempt on Wednesday. The Flydubai flight FZ1073 was rerouted during its journey from Dubai to Tel Aviv through Jordanian airspace, which led Israel to deploy warplanes, according to Reuters reports.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that one of the pilots had stabbed the other and attempted to crash the aircraft. He also noted that Israel was preparing for other potential threats following the incident. However, there has been no official confirmation of a hijacking attempt from authorities. Flydubai confirmed that an altercation took place on the flight deck, that all passengers were safe and accounted for, and that the plane was secured by on-duty crew members traveling onboard.

At Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia, where the aircraft landed, officials reported that both the captain and the first officer were hospitalized with injuries. A statement from the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz international airport in Tabuk, released via the Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya television, confirmed they were taken to the hospital. The UAE has grown in popularity as a holiday destination for Israeli tourists since both nations normalized relations in 2020.

What Happened?

Footage from inside the aircraft appears to show the captain lying on the cabin floor with multiple stab wounds, alongside a passenger suffering from a bloody head wound. Other video footage captures passengers crying out in distress as the aircraft shakes violently.

Yasmin Abukasis, the mother of a passenger onboard, shared that her daughter Miriam feared for her life. "The plane started to lose control," she informed journalists at Israel's Ben Gurion airport before other pilots onboard stepped in to manage the aircraft.

Flight tracking data revealed that the plane dropped approximately 14,000 feet (4,300 meters) in less than 30 seconds, roughly two and a half hours after departing from Dubai. Flightradar24 posted on X that an initial general emergency signal, code 7700, was transmitted around 05:31 GMT, which was later switched to code 7500 to indicate "unlawful interference."

Passenger Dalia Shpigel told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that travelers seated near the front forced their way into the cockpit after the plane began its descent and they realized something was wrong. "An hour before landing, we felt that there was no control over the plane, that it was starting to jump," she said. "The guys saw that the plane had begun to dive and broke into the cockpit."

Netanyahu later spoke with an Israeli passenger who breached the cockpit and subdued one of the pilots allegedly trying to sabotage the aircraft systems. "I salute these heroes who demonstrated extraordinary resourcefulness and courage," Netanyahu said in a statement. "They saved many lives and prevented a major disaster."

Timeline of Events (GMT)

• 03:05 – Flight FZ1073 takes off from Dubai
• 05:21 – Altitude fluctuations begin
• 05:22 – Aircraft drops more than 14,000ft in less than 30 seconds
• 05:31 – Signal from aircraft changes to 7700 (general emergency)
• 05:38 – Signal changes to 7500 (unlawful interference)
• 06:45 – Aircraft lands at Tabuk regional airport

What Do We Know About What Caused the Incident?

The motive behind the apparent attack remains unclear. Netanyahu stated that Saudi authorities were actively interrogating the pilot accused of carrying out the attack. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz indicated that preliminary data suggested the attacker intended to crash the plane and kill everyone onboard, describing the event as an "attempted jihadist terror attack." An anonymous Israeli official speaking to Reuters identified the assailant as an Omani national.

Israel lacks formal diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia or Oman, relying instead on occasional dialogue via informal channels. Muscat has refrained from joining other regional nations in normalizing relations with Israel over Palestinian rights, while Saudi Arabia has conditioned any normalization on Israel's acceptance of a Palestinian state.

This incident unfolds just days before Israel marks the anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in about 1,200 deaths and sparked Israel's war on Gaza.

Was a Second Flydubai Flight Diverted?

No. Hebrew media erroneously reported that a second Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, FZ1081, had turned around, according to The Times of Israel. The report noted that the error appeared to stem from a glitch on flight-tracking websites, as the plane issued no emergency signals and continued its journey to Tel Aviv without interruption.

What Has the Response Been?

Opposition leader Yair Lapid alleged that Netanyahu's political allies tried to frame the incident as the realization of prior warnings regarding a possible attack ahead of Israel's legislative election on October 27. "The warning about activity abroad is specific, has been in place for more than two years, and has nothing to do with planes or anything resembling what happened this morning," Lapid wrote on X, criticizing Netanyahu for attempting to capitalize on the bravery of citizens who averted a disaster.