Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said passengers on a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv helped prevent a “major disaster” after one of the pilots allegedly stabbed the other and attempted to crash the aircraft.
Flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with around 150 Israeli passengers on board, was diverted to Saudi Arabia after the incident occurred while the Boeing 737 was flying over Jordanian airspace.
Netanyahu said one of the pilots had allegedly attacked the other and attempted to take control of the aircraft with the apparent intention of crashing it. He described the passengers as “heroes” who helped prevent a disaster.
Two Israeli officials, speaking anonymously to reporters, said the co-pilot was believed to have stabbed the captain before cabin crew and passengers intervened. They said Israel's initial assessment was that the incident was an attempted “terror attack” and was not believed to be connected to a mental health issue involving either pilot.
A passenger, Miryam Shira Ohayon, said the aircraft was “pretty much out of control” when the stabbing occurred. Speaking to reporters by speakerphone at Ben Gurion Airport, she said the co-pilot had allegedly tried to kill the captain and crash the plane.
According to Ohayon, several passengers managed to restrain and “neutralise” the attacker, while a doctor provided first aid to the injured pilots. She said the passengers' main fear was that the aircraft would crash.
Ohayon's mother, Yasmin Abukasis, said her daughter had been travelling to Israel to attend a memorial service for her brother, who was killed in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. She said her daughter believed the passengers were going to die.
Saudi Arabia's Tabuk airport said both pilots were taken to hospital after suffering injuries. The aircraft eventually landed safely at the airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 reported that the aircraft transmitted a general emergency signal before sending a second signal indicating possible unlawful interference. The data appeared to show the aircraft suddenly descending by almost 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before the first emergency signal.
The circumstances surrounding the emergency signals, including who transmitted them, were not immediately clear.
Early reports in Israeli media contained conflicting accounts of the incident, including differing claims about the pilots' nationalities and whether the episode involved an attempted suicide or a deliberate attack.
An Israeli official initially said the incident was not believed to be a hijacking, describing it as a “different incident”. Israel was conducting security consultations as authorities worked to establish what had happened.
Netanyahu ordered preparations for possible further threats and cleared his schedule to manage the situation. His office said the situation was under control and that arrangements were being made to return the Israeli passengers to Israel.
The incident comes amid close security and economic ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, where Netanyahu had met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan shortly before the flight.
The UAE has not commented on the incident. Flydubai, which is owned by Dubai, said only that the flight had experienced an “incident” and was diverted to Tabuk, where it landed safely. The airline said all passengers were safe and accounted for.
