Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight News Live Updates: Flydubai passengers recall mid-air horror; ‘there was blood in the cockpit’

A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia following a violent cockpit altercation. Israel confirms the incident was not a hijacking.

A passenger on board the Israel-bound flydubai flight that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia described chaotic scenes to Channel 12. “We heard screams on the plane. Then they opened the cockpit, and we saw blood, and someone had stabbed the pilot with a pocketknife,” the unnamed woman told the network via text message. It is believed that a violent altercation developed between the two pilots. The woman said that the Israeli passengers helped restrain an attacker along with members of the crew. “We prayed, ‘Shema Yisrael,’” she says. “There were also moments when we thought we weren’t going to make it out alive. Another woman, who identified identifying herself as Noam, said, “Screams began on the plane… by passengers who realised what was happening. We understand that one of the pilots was stabbed and seriously wounded, and they lost control of the plane. It started to dive quickly. It was very scary.”

Flydubai lands in Saudi Arabia after ‘violent incident’ between pilots

A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv that had signalled an emergency landed at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia moments ago. Flydubai emergency signals were reportedly triggered by an altercation between pilots aboard the flight, The Times of Israel reported, citing Israeli security sources.

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‘Incident was not hijacking,’ says Israel PM spokesperson

The incident was not a hijacking, the Israeli prime minister’s spokesperson said. “The situation is under control, and all measures are currently being taken to bring the Israeli passengers back to Israel safely,” said the Prime Minister’s Office, according to The Times Of Israel.

Live Updates
Sep 30, 2026 02:48 PM IST
WATCH: Stunning drop in plane’s altitude

The Flydubai aircraft involved in the reported “violent incident” descended 17,400 feet in just over two minutes, according to flight tracking data.

Sep 30, 2026 02:43 PM IST
‘Most severe disaster prevented,’ says senior Israeli official

A senior Israeli official said the “most severe disaster was prevented” after a flydubai flight from the UAE to Israel made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

The unnamed Israeli official said that the copilot is being investigated amid growing indications that he allegedly tried to take over the plane and crash it.

Sep 30, 2026 02:39 PM IST
Flydubai sends second plane to Saudi Arabia to take passengers to Israel

Flydubai is sending a second aircraft to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia to take passengers onward to Israel after the emergency landing of a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, according to The Times of Israel.

Sep 30, 2026 02:36 PM IST
Photos from Flydubai flight show passenger with blood-stained shirt

The first photos that emerged from the troubled flydubai flight showed a passenger with a blood-stained shirt following the reports of a mid-air altercation in the cockpit.

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Sep 30, 2026 02:32 PM IST
‘We heard screams, plane dived’: Flydubai passengers recall mid-air horror

A passenger on board the Israel-bound flydubai flight that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia described chaotic scenes to Channel 12.

“We heard screams on the plane. Then they opened the cockpit, and we saw blood, and someone had stabbed the pilot with a pocketknife,” the unnamed woman told the network via text message.

It is believed that a violent altercation developed between the two pilots.

The woman said that the Israeli passengers helped restrain an attacker along with members of the crew. “We prayed, ‘Shema Yisrael,’” she says. “There were also moments when we thought we weren’t going to make it out alive.”

Another woman, who identified identifying herself as Noam, said, “Screams began on the plane… by passengers who realised what was happening. We understand that one of the pilots was stabbed and seriously wounded, and they lost control of the plane. It started to dive quickly. It was very scary.”

Sep 30, 2026 02:31 PM IST
Netanyahu office says Flydubai situation under control, passengers safe

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held consultations after a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing, with his office saying the situation is under control.

“The situation is under control, and all measures are currently being taken to bring the Israeli passengers back to Israel safely,” said the Prime Minister’s Office, according to The Times Of Israel.

Sep 30, 2026 02:31 PM IST
Flydubai flight that declared emergency, landed in Saudi

A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv that had signalled an emergency landed at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia moments ago.

Flydubai emergency signals were reportedly triggered by an altercation between pilots aboard the flight, The Times of Israel reported, citing Israeli security sources.

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