Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the suspension of Flydubai flights to Israel as authorities investigate whether a violent cockpit incident aboard a commercial aircraft was a “jihadist terror attack”.
Flydubai Flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 180 people on board, was diverted towards Saudi Arabia after transmitting emergency signals while approaching Israel.
Israeli authorities scrambled fighter jets amid concerns that the Boeing 737 MAX could have been hijacked following an altercation involving the pilots.
The aircraft eventually landed safely at Tabuk airport, where Saudi authorities arrested and questioned the pilot alleged to have attacked his colleague.
Netanyahu said the incident appeared to have involved an attempt to take control of the aircraft and potentially crash it.
“The pilot who carried out the stabbing was arrested and is currently being questioned by the Saudi authorities,” Netanyahu said.
“During the flight, as they were approaching Israel, one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot and, apparently, tried to crash the plane with its passengers on board.”
🚨 BREAKING: A pilot aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv attacked the other pilot and attempted to seize control of the aircraft in terror attack.
The plane, carrying 174 Israeli passengers, plunged 14,000 feet before the situation was brought under control and… pic.twitter.com/FAgyt7dOpK
— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) September 30, 2026
Netanyahu said he had spoken to an Israeli passenger who described the aircraft entering a spin before beginning to descend.
“He told me that, somehow, he managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members and, together, they overpowered the pilot who had carried out the stabbing while he was attempting to sabotage the aircraft’s systems,” he said.
“Another air crew who was on the plane entered the cockpit and managed to stabilise the aircraft.”
Netanyahu praised those who intervened, saying: “I salute these heroes who demonstrated extraordinary resourcefulness and courage. They saved many lives and prevented a major disaster.”
“The plane landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. All the passengers are now out of danger.”
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz described the incident as a “jihadist terror attack attempt”, while Israeli authorities continued to investigate the motive and sequence of events.
A senior Israeli official told i24 News that investigators were still considering several possibilities.
Arabia Saudita confirma que el piloto y el copiloto del vuelo de Flydubai se encuentran hospitalizados (Agencia AJN/Itongadol)
Ver nota: https://t.co/C5Z6QXY0q2#Israel #MedioOriente @flydubai @Israel #ArabiaSaudita pic.twitter.com/CbJuTxk0y9
— ITON GADOL es Israel y las comunidades judias (@Itongadol) September 30, 2026
“It is unclear what the pilot was trying to do – whether to hijack it to Israel, whether to crash it into the ground, or whether to carry out a 9/11-style attack. What is clear – he wanted to hijack the aircraft,” the official said.
Another official told Channel 12: “This is the great stroke of luck for this flight; otherwise, we would be in an incident taken from September 2001 or July 1976.”
The incident has prompted Israel to suspend Flydubai flights while officials assess the security implications. Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister was “monitoring developments” following the emergency landing.
“The incident is under control, and all measures are currently being deployed in order to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel,” his office said.
Flight-tracking data appeared to show the aircraft descending by almost 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before its first emergency signal, according to Flightradar24.
The aircraft initially transmitted squawk code 7700, the international signal for a general emergency, before briefly switching to 7500, indicating unlawful interference or a possible hijacking. It subsequently returned to 7700.
BREAKING: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made his first public statement following the suspected attempted hijacking of the FlyDubai flight carrying Israelis. pic.twitter.com/TvgU2hev7f
— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) September 30, 2026
Passengers described scenes of panic inside the aircraft.
Yasmin Abukasis, whose daughter was travelling on the flight, told Sky News that her daughter recalled that “all the people screamed”.
Some passengers then moved towards a man holding a knife, she said.
“He took a knife and tried to kill the pilot. They took his hand and put them on the floor. There was a lot of blood around,” Abukasis said, recounting her daughter’s account.
Another passenger said: “We were either going to crash or be murdered. It was like a terrorist attack in mid-air.”
A second passenger told Israeli media: “We heard screams on the plane. Then they opened the cockpit and we saw blood, and someone had stabbed the pilot with a pocketknife.”
BREAKING: 🇮🇱 Attempt to hijack a plane full of Israelis
Flydubai Flight FZ1073 en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv activated transponder squawk code 7500, which is the internationally recognized signal for a hijacking or unlawful interference with an aircraft.
Israeli security…
— Megatron (@Megatron_ron) September 30, 2026
Passengers also reported that relief pilots were aboard the aircraft and helped stabilise the plane after the cockpit incident. One passenger, Almog Itali, said one of the relief pilots was British and another was European, although their nationalities were not specified.
The precise circumstances surrounding the confrontation remain under investigation, including the alleged motive and the identities and roles of those involved.
Flydubai said all passengers were safe and accounted for.
“FlyDubai can confirm that flight FZ 1073 operating from Dubai International (DXB) to Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) on September 30 experienced an incident while en route,” a spokesman said.
“The aircraft has landed safely in Tabuk Airport (TUU) and all passengers are safe and accounted for. The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority.
“Our teams are working closely with the relevant authorities. Further updates will be issued as additional confirmed details become available.”
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