Injured pilots hospitalised following cockpit stabbing on flydubai flight to Tel Aviv

UPDATE - follow-up to Flydubai Dubai-Tel Aviv flight diverted to Saudi Arabia; hijacking ruled out: Both the captain and the first officer of a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv were hospitalised with injuries following a violent cockpit incident that led to an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

What Happened

Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX carrying between 150 and 174 passengers, diverted to Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia after transmitting emergency and hijack-alert codes near Jordan. Tracking data shows the jet left its 34,000-foot cruise with a steep descent of nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds, followed by a sharp climb and another descent before landing safely. Israeli officials stated that the emergency stemmed from a physical altercation between the pilots, with two officials telling Reuters the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain before cabin crew entered the cockpit to take control. Israeli media and officials also identified the injured captain as an Indian national and the alleged attacker as an Omani national.

Reaction

The sudden descent and the unlawful-interference transponder signal triggered immediate security fears in Israel, prompting the country to scramble fighter jets and leading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold an urgent security meeting. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office later clarified that the diversion was not believed to be a hijacking incident, while flydubai confirmed that all passengers were safe and accounted for and that its teams were working with relevant authorities.

Context

Commercial cockpit doors are reinforced and strictly controlled to prevent unauthorized access during flights, making internal security incidents extremely rare. When emergency transponder codes like 7700 or 7500 are activated, air traffic control and military defense systems automatically respond to ensure airspace safety.