Breakdown of how Flydubai co-pilot tries to crash Israel flight after stabbing pilot
- The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, an Omani national, stabbed the pilot mid-flight and attempted to bring down the aircraft
- Flight data showed the plane dropped nearly 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds before passengers broke into the cockpit to stop the co-pilot
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the incident and ordered tighter security checks on all carriers flying into Israel
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
A co-pilot on board a flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv stabbed the pilot and tried to crash the aircraft, but passengers and crew overpowered him while a second pair of pilots landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia, Israeli officials said on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the event as "a highly severe security incident" and confirmed that Saudi authorities would interrogate the co-pilot, identified by an Israeli official as an Omani national. More than 170 Israelis were on board flight FZ1073 at the time.
Source: Facebook
What happened on board
According to Reuters, flight-tracking website Flightradar24 recorded the aircraft dropping nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before the first emergency signal was transmitted.
Netanyahu, citing a passenger account, said the plane "entered a tailspin and began to dive" before passengers and a crew member forced their way into the cockpit and found the co-pilot "trying to sabotage the plane's systems."
A Netanyahu spokesperson told Reuters that the wounded pilot, covered in blood and lying on the cockpit floor, had triggered the door release mechanism himself, allowing those outside to enter. A second set of pilots who were on board to relieve the first pair then took control and brought the aircraft down at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia's Tabuk airport confirmed both pilots had been taken to hospital with injuries. The co-pilot was arrested upon landing.
Yasmin Abukasis told reporters that her daughter Miriam, who was among the passengers, described hearing screaming and seeing a man holding a knife force one of the pilots to the floor, with blood visible throughout the cockpit area. A video circulating among Israeli media showed a passenger saying one pilot was seriously injured and the other slightly so.
Flydubai said in a statement that the reasons behind the incident remained unknown and cautioned against "premature speculation." The airline confirmed all passengers were safe and accounted for. After spending roughly eight hours on the ground in Saudi Arabia, passengers boarded a replacement flydubai aircraft and continued to Israel.
Security response and political context
Netanyahu ordered enhanced security screening for pilots on all carriers flying into Israel, with his spokesperson Doron Spielman telling Reuters: "Every pilot that is going to be flying into Israel, we are going to know the pilots' identities, know who they are, and do some type of security check." Israel's Transport Ministry said a joint investigation involving the defence establishment would follow.
The incident occurred weeks before Israel's first general election since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, with national security a central issue in campaigning. Far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote on X: "Terrorism is a devil with whom no agreement must be reached."
The UAE had not issued a public comment on the incident as of Wednesday. Israeli media published conflicting reports, with some outlets identifying the pilots as Omani and Emirati nationals and others as Russian and Ukrainian.
Pilot stabs co-pilot mid-flight on Dubai-Israel route, Netanyahu narrates
Legit.ng earlier reported that a pilot aboard a commercial flight travelling from Dubai to Israel stabbed his co-pilot and reportedly attempted to crash the aircraft on September 30, 2026, before passengers and crew members intervened to stop him.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the incident in a public statement the same day, saying almost all those on board were Israeli nationals.
Source: Legit.ng
