Pilot arrested in Saudi Arabia after midair cockpit attack on Flydubai flight

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that a pilot on a Tel Aviv-bound Flydubai flight stabbed a colleague inside the cockpit and attempted to crash the aircraft before passengers and crew intervened. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 operating as flight FZ1073 carried 174 passengers, mostly Israeli citizens, taking off from the United Arab Emirates. Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 shows the jet abruptly dropping from high altitude through a steep dive, a sharp climb, and another descent, settling near 15,000 feet. The aircraft transmitted emergency codes starting with 7700 for a general emergency, followed by 7500 indicating unlawful interference. The jet altered its course westward, entered Jordanian airspace briefly, and executed a 180-degree turn toward Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. Israel scrambled fighter jets as fears of a hijacking mounted, while Prime Minister Netanyahu convened an urgent security meeting. Passengers and a crew member forced their way into the cockpit after the aircraft entered a sharp dive and found the co-pilot attacking the flight controls. According to Netanyahu, the passengers and crew pinned down the attacker while additional flight crew members entered the cockpit to help land the plane safely in Tabuk just before 10 am Israel time. Saudi authorities took the suspect into custody and launched an interrogation. Flydubai confirmed that everyone on board is safe and that company teams are cooperating with relevant authorities.

Context

Commercial aviation relies on strict cockpit security protocols and redundant flight crew systems to handle rare emergencies. International aviation authorities mandate transponder codes like 7700 and 7500 so air traffic controllers immediately recognize critical situations in flight. Tabuk serves as a key regional airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia near the Jordanian border.