Israeli Passengers Describe Bloody Cockpit During Emergency Landing in Saudi Arabia

Israeli passengers aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv have provided dramatic accounts of an incident that led to an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Contrary to initial reports of a fight between pilots, passengers believe one crew member attempted to crash the plane. "This wasn't a brawl, but a terrorist who tried to crash us," one passenger told Israeli media. Other passengers described a gruesome scene inside the cockpit, stating, "The cockpit was full of blood, we took control of the situation."

One passenger reported that a pilot was stabbed with a knife and that Israeli passengers helped subdue the attacker. These accounts emerged after flight FZ1073 transmitted emergency codes, first a general emergency code (7700) and then a code indicating hijacking or unlawful interference (7500). The aircraft made an unusual descent and deviated from its flight path, prompting the Israeli Air Force to scramble fighter jets.

The plane eventually landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Israeli sources initially suggested a physical altercation between the two pilots. The Prime Minister's office clarified that the incident was not considered a hijacking. Significant discrepancies remain between the various accounts of what transpired in the cockpit, and the claim of intentional crashing is currently based on passenger testimonies, awaiting official confirmation from authorities or the airline. The circumstances of the event are under investigation.