TEL AVIV, Israel — A Flydubai pilot allegedly stabbed the other pilot and apparently attempted to crash a passenger plane carrying about 170 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
The aircraft was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely after passengers and crew members intervened and subdued the attacker. The incident occurred aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 travelling from the United Arab Emirates to Israel.
According to reports, a fight broke out between the two pilots in the cockpit, with one allegedly using a knife to attack the other. The aircraft then experienced a rapid descent, dropping thousands of feet in a short period, while passengers screamed and the plane issued emergency signals.
Video footage circulating on social media and reviewed by The Associated Press showed two bloodied men lying on the floor of the aircraft while other passengers appeared to provide medical assistance. In another video, passengers could be heard crying and shouting as the aircraft shook. Some passengers reportedly entered the cockpit and helped restrain the attacker, allowing other pilots who were aboard the flight to take control.
Netanyahu praised the passengers and crew who intervened, saying their actions prevented what could have been a major disaster. He said Saudi authorities arrested the pilot believed to have carried out the attack. Saudi officials said the captain and first officer were injured and received medical treatment after the aircraft landed at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk.
Israeli authorities scrambled fighter jets after the aircraft issued emergency signals, amid fears that the plane could have been hijacked. Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft transmitting an emergency code and later a code associated with hijacking or unlawful interference before landing in Saudi Arabia.
All passengers were reported safe and accounted for. The motive behind the confrontation remains unclear, and Flydubai has said the underlying reasons are subject to a formal investigation. Israeli officials have raised the possibility of a deliberate attack, but authorities have not publicly established the motive. Saudi Arabia has not immediately provided further details about the arrested pilot.
