Indian captain stops alleged sabotage on Flydubai Dubai-Tel Aviv flight

An Indian captain and passengers reportedly stopped an alleged crash attempt aboard a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv. The emergency diversion to Tabuk is now under investigation as officials piece together the cockpit violence.

In Short

• Flight FZ1073 dropped sharply from cruising altitude before sending emergency signals
• Crew travelling onboard and Israeli passengers reportedly helped overpower the alleged attacker
• Both pilots were injured in the cockpit violence and taken to hospital

An Indian captain on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv allegedly fought his co-pilot after the latter tried to bring down the aircraft, according to Israeli media reports and statements by Israeli officials. The plane later made an emergency landing at Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, and all 174 passengers, including 27 children, were reported safe.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said one of the pilots stabbed the other and appeared to try to crash the aircraft. Flydubai confirmed there had been an in-flight incident and said the plane was secured by crew travelling on the flight and diverted safely to Tabuk airport.

Israeli news website Ynet, quoting Israeli officials, reported that the co-pilot was an Omani national and was suspected of trying to crash the aircraft. It said the Indian captain fought him to stop the aircraft from going down, and that Israeli passengers later helped subdue the co-pilot. The airline has not released the identity or nationality of the pilots.

Netanyahu said an Israeli passenger told him the aircraft went into a spin and began descending, after which the passenger and a crew member broke into the cockpit and overpowered the pilot who had carried out the stabbing while he was allegedly trying to sabotage the aircraft's systems. He said another crew member then entered the cockpit and helped stabilise the aircraft. “I salute these heroes who demonstrated extraordinary resourcefulness and courage. They saved many lives and prevented a major disaster,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu said the aircraft landed safely at Tabuk airport and all passengers were out of danger. He said the pilot accused of carrying out the stabbing had been arrested and was being questioned by Saudi authorities. Tabuk airport authorities said the captain and first officer were injured and taken to hospital.

Flydubai flight FZ1073 transmitted emergency signals and made a sharp descent before diverting to Tabuk. Flydubai said: “The aircraft was successfully secured by on-duty flydubai crew travelling on the flight, who diverted and landed the aircraft safely at Tabuk Airport (TUU). All passengers and crew are safe and accounted for.” The airline said it was cooperating with the relevant authorities and added: “At this early stage, the underlying reasons and motives behind this event are unknown and remain subject to a formal investigation. We urge all parties to refrain from premature speculation while authorities gather the facts.”

Israeli authorities initially feared a possible hijacking and scrambled fighter jets. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the incident aboard the plane “was a jihadist terrorist attack attempt, which was thwarted only thanks to the bravery of several Israeli passengers who broke into the cockpit and overpowered the terrorist”. The incident remains under investigation.

Video clips showed passengers moving towards the front of the aircraft while others shouted and asked what was happening. BBC Verify said the seat layout and design were consistent with a Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. It also said flight-tracking data showed the plane was cruising at about 34,000 feet before descending by more than 17,000 feet in less than two minutes, after which it transmitted emergency signals, including a code indicating possible unlawful interference.

In a video circulated on Israeli social media, a man with blood on his face said: “We're here – the plane – we've just taken control of the terrorists. We're about to land. Anyone who hears me: we need help. We're landing in Tabuk.” Passenger Zvika Manes, who said he helped subdue the alleged attacker, told Calcalist that his wife heard shouting and screams near the cockpit before he and others intervened. “I'm covered in blood. It was insane,” he said, according to Ynet.

Another passenger, Dalia Shpigel, told Haaretz there were “terrible screams throughout the plane” before “three to five guys burst into the cockpit” and subdued the attacker. Haaretz journalist Noa Shpigel told the BBC that her 74-year-old mother was travelling on the flight from Kathmandu via Dubai to Israel. After speaking to her mother, she said passengers realised something was wrong when the aircraft began “to jump in the air” and then “dive down”, and that several young Israeli men sitting near the front went into the cockpit and took control.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid said a warning about increased terrorist activity abroad, which he had been briefed about before the incident, was not linked to what happened on the aircraft. “The warning about activity abroad is specific, has been in place for more than two years, and has nothing to do with planes or anything resembling what happened this morning,” he said in a post on X. He added: “Nothing that even resembles this morning's plane incident appeared in last night's security update with the Prime Minister. Not similar, not reminiscent, not even hinted at.”

The incident on the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight led to an emergency diversion to Saudi Arabia after an alleged struggle in the cockpit, with passengers and crew said to have helped regain control of the aircraft. All those on board were reported safe, while the injured pilots were taken to hospital and the case remained under investigation.

With PTI Inputs

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