Israeli Passengers Subdue Pilot in Mid-Air Attack on Flydubai Flight

A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv nearly ended in disaster when one of the pilots allegedly stabbed his colleague and attempted to crash the plane over Jordan on Wednesday morning. The leading theory suggests the attacker, an Omani national, was attempting suicide. He reportedly used a box cutter to stab the co-pilot, an Emirati citizen, causing the aircraft to plummet.

A group of off-duty pilots and Israeli passengers aboard the flight, identified as FZ1073, stormed the cockpit, subdued the assailant, and stabilized the aircraft. The plane made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. "There were moments we were sure this was the end," recounted one passenger, describing screams and the discovery of significant blood in the cockpit.

The dramatic incident began around 9:00 AM, about 90 minutes after takeoff. The Boeing 737, carrying 174 passengers including 27 children, rapidly descended from 34,000 feet to 14,000 feet, with a momentary descent rate exceeding 30,000 feet per minute. The pilot transmitted emergency codes 7700 (general emergency) and 7500 (hijacking) before turning the plane towards Saudi Arabia at a low altitude.

This unusual transmission triggered a high alert in Israel, with fighter jets scrambled and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi convening an urgent security consultation. Concurrently, Israeli security agencies like the Mossad and Shin Bet held situation assessments due to fears of an inspired attack or hijacking.

The plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia around 9:45 AM. Flydubai confirmed a violent incident between the pilots, stating all passengers were safe and under the supervision of authorities. Initially, Netanyahu and Katz instructed the IDF to prepare military rescue planes, and El Al offered a similar rescue flight. However, Flydubai's CEO later announced a replacement aircraft would be sent from Dubai to collect the passengers and continue their journey to Israel.