Dubai-Tel Aviv Highlights: Passengers of diverted Flydubai flight land in Israel
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia following a violent cockpit altercation. Israel confirmed the incident was not a hijacking.
A plane, carrying passengers who were on the FlyDubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, on the tarmac as it arrives at the Ben Gurion International Airport, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, September 30, 2026. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
A plane carrying passengers from an earlier diverted Flydubai flight has landed at Tel Aviv airport on Wednesday, reports stated.
An Indian national, Smit Machchhar, was the captain of a Flydubai flight that fought with his co-pilot during a violent cockpit confrontation that forced the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, PTI reported, citing Israeli news website Ynet on Wednesday.
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Ynet, citing Israeli officials, reported that the co-pilot was an Omani national and was suspected of trying to crash the aircraft. The captain fought with him to prevent the aircraft from crashing, with Israeli passengers later helping subdue the co-pilot, the report said.
flydubai FZ1073 · September 30, 2026
Flydubai FZ1073: From Dubai to an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia
A Tel Aviv-bound flight lost half its altitude in about a minute, sent emergency codes and diverted to Tabuk after what Israeli officials describe as an attack in the cockpit.
Investigation ongoing
Flydubai FZ1073: What happened mid-air?
The flight, step by step. Times and altitudes are from Flightradar24 data.
FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, takes off for Tel Aviv with about 170 people on board.
About 2 hr 15 min into the flight Alleged
A confrontation breaks out in the cockpit. Israeli officials say the co-pilot stabbed the captain.
05:21 GMT · 34,000 ft → ~16,600 ft
Flight-tracking data shows the jet losing about half its altitude in roughly a minute.
05:28 and 05:35 GMT
The transponder shows 7700, a general emergency, then 7500, unlawful interference.
Israel
Fearing a possible hijacking, Israel scrambles fighter jets.
Cockpit Attributed
The injured captain opens the cockpit door so others can get in, Israeli PM Netanyahu said.
Passengers and crew Attributed
A passenger and crew members enter the cockpit and overpower the attacker, according to Netanyahu and passengers.
Towards Saudi Arabia
On-duty flydubai crew travelling on the flight secure the plane and divert it to Tabuk, the airline says.
About 07:00 GMT · Tabuk
The aircraft lands safely. Passengers are safe; both pilots are taken to hospital.
Route is approximate. Cockpit events are based on accounts from Israeli officials, flydubai and passengers; their exact timing has not been made public.
India link: the injured captain, Smit Machchhar, is an Indian national, i24NEWS and Israel Hayom report. He is in a stable condition after surgery in Saudi Arabia, according to i24NEWS.
Inside the flydubai cockpit: What we know
The least clear part of the story, in sequence
1
Cockpit confrontation
A fight breaks out between the two pilots
2
One pilot allegedly stabs the other
Israeli officials say the co-pilot stabbed the captain
3
Attempt to take control
Netanyahu says the attacker “apparently tried to crash the plane”
4
Injured pilot opens the cockpit door
The wounded captain lets others in, Netanyahu said
5
A passenger and crew member enter
A passenger says a relief pilot called for help and others followed
6
Attacker subdued
Passengers and crew overpower him
7
Other crew regain control
flydubai: on-duty crew travelling on the flight secured the plane
Based on accounts from Israeli officials and passengers; investigation ongoing. flydubai says the reasons and motives “remain unknown and are subject to a formal investigation”.
Why did Israel scramble fighter jets?
What Israeli authorities could see from the ground
Israeli officials later said the incident involved an alleged attack by one pilot on the other. Netanyahu said one pilot stabbed the other and “apparently tried to crash the plane”. The investigation is ongoing.
‘We need help’: What passengers saw aboard Flydubai FZ1073
In passengers’ own words. Their accounts have not been independently verified.
A bloodied passenger
“We are in the middle of a plane hijacking. At the moment, we have subdued the terrorists and we are preparing to land… We need help.”
Passenger video, as reported by Ynet
Passengers rush the cockpit
“A few of us just jumped in and pulled him out of the cockpit. Everything is OK now.”
Passenger, as reported by Ynet
An injured pilot
“Everyone on the plane is safe and well except for the pilot.”
Passenger, as reported by Ynet
Crew and passengers restrain the attacker
“He called for help, and two others and I entered the cockpit and subdued the terrorist. I’m covered in blood.”
Zvika Manes, passenger, to Ynet
Passengers stay on board after landing
Passengers remained on the plane after it landed in Tabuk.
Euronews
Saudi security surrounds the aircraft
A heavy Saudi security presence surrounded the plane.
Euronews
The numbers behind the flydubai emergency
Each figure with its source
~170people on boardNewsweek; i24 says 174
34,000 ftcruising altitude before the dropFlightradar24
~16,600 ftlowest point of the dropFlightradar24 data
Meanwhile, 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.
‘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
Oct 1, 2026 08:10 AM IST
PM Modi praises Indian pilot who foiled co-pilot's bid to crash flydubai flight
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for fighting off a co-pilot who allegedly attempted to crash a flydubai aircraft travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, "Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO. In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others. His valour helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy. India is proud of Captain Machchhar. Praying for his speedy recovery, renewed strength and good health."
Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO.
In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others.
His valour helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy.
India is proud of…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 1, 2026
Sep 30, 2026 10:05 PM IST
Passengers of diverted Flydubai flight land in Israel
A plane carrying passengers from an earlier diverted flydubai flight has landed at Tel Aviv airport on Wednesday, reports stated.
Sep 30, 2026 09:14 PM IST
Saudi Arabia turned down Israeli request to allow its planes to pick up Israeli passengers: Report
Saudi Arabia turned down a request by Israel to allow its planes to bring back Israeli passengers from a flydubai flight that made an emergency landing in the kingdom, two security sources said on Wednesday.
The request was made to allow Israeli military planes to bring back Israelis from Saudi Arabia, which has no diplomatic relations with Israel, the sources said.
- Reuters
Sep 30, 2026 09:02 PM IST
Flydubai pilot stabbed in cockpit is Indian, flew with SpiceJet for 11 years before joining Dubai airline
The pilot who was stabbed by his co-pilot on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday was Indian national Smit Machchhar, who earlier worked with SpiceJet, according to people in the know. According to some Israeli news outlets, which didn’t name the pilot and the co-pilot, the latter — identified as an Omani national — attacked and stabbed the Indian captain in what is being reported as a bid to take over the aircraft’s controls and crash it.
The Indian pilot is being credited with helping save the aircraft, which landed safely in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk following the cockpit altercation. He was taken to a hospital in Saudi Arabia after the aircraft landed; the condition of his health could not be immediately ascertained. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Saudi Arabia had arrested the co-pilot who apparently tried to crash the plane, which had a number of Israeli nationals on board, AP reported.
While details about the altercation and the sequence of events remained sketchy, some Israeli news outlets reported that the pilot fought back the co-pilot to prevent the aircraft from crashing, with the crew and some passengers then helping to subdue the co-pilot.
Flydubai rescue flight leaves Saudi Arabia for Israel with stranded passengers
A Flydubai rescue flight with stranded passengers on board has departed Saudi Arabia to Israel's Ben Gurion International airport, Israel's airport authority said, the Times of Israel reported.
It added that the flight is expected to land in 45 minutes, which is a rare direct flight from Saudi Arabia to Israel.
Sep 30, 2026 08:13 PM IST
What has Flydubai said on the midair scare incident after Indian pilot was injured?
The Emirati government-owned Flydubai flight on Wednesday confirmed that an “altercation occurred in the flight deck” on Wednesday's flight that took off from Dubai International Airport to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport.
A Flydubai spokesperson, in a statement, 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. At this early stage, the underlying reasons and motives behind this event are unknown and remain subject to a formal investigation."
The Flydubai spokesperson further added, "We urge all parties to refrain from premature speculation while authorities gather the facts."
Sep 30, 2026 07:49 PM IST
Flydubai plane incident was 'jihadist terror attack,' says Israeli defence minister
The Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday said that the incident was an "attempted jihadist terror attack" and an early probe revealed that one of the pilots had intended to crash the plane.
Sep 30, 2026 07:42 PM IST
Indian pilot stabbed, co-pilot held in Flydubai cockpit brawl
An Indian national, Smit Machchhar, was the captain of a Flydubai flight who fought with his co-pilot during a violent cockpit confrontation that forced the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, PTI reported, citing Israeli news website Ynet on Wednesday.
Ynet, citing Israeli officials, reported that the co-pilot was an Omani national and was suspected of trying to crash the aircraft. The captain fought with him to prevent the aircraft from crashing, with Israeli passengers later helping subdue the co-pilot, the report said.
Sep 30, 2026 07:34 PM IST
Flydubai pilot stabbed co-pilot in alleged crash attempt, Israeli PM Netanyahu says
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, in a video statement said, "Almost all the passengers on the flight were Israelis. During the flight, as they were approaching Israel, one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot, and it appears he was attempting to crash the plane with everyone on board.”
Sep 30, 2026 07:16 PM IST
Flydubai pilot arrested after cockpit stabbing, says Netanyahu amid 'hijacking' bid
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said that one pilot on a FlyDubai flight stabbed another pilot and apparently tried to crash the plane. Netanyahu added that the pilot has been arrested by the Saudi Arabian authorities and interrogated.
The Israeli prime minister further said that he spoke to one of the passengers on board the Flydubai plane FZ1073, adding that a second crew member on board the flight stabilised the plane.
Sep 30, 2026 06:53 PM IST
Flydubai plane lands in Saudi Arabia to rescue stranded Israeli passengers
A Flydubai plane has landed at Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk airport to pick up the stranded passengers from the earlier Dubai-Tel Aviv flight that was involved in a midair scare after a pilot on the flight was stabbed before the plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia, flight tracking data shows, Times of Israel reported.
Sep 30, 2026 06:27 PM IST
Israeli officials say diverted flydubai incident may be attempted 'terror attack'
The co-pilot of a Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv is believed to have stabbed the captain in a possible attempted "terror attack" on Wednesday, forcing the plane to divert to Saudi Arabia where it landed safely, three Israeli officials said, Reuters reported.
Sep 30, 2026 05:59 PM IST
First pictures of Israeli passengers waiting at Saudi airport after Flydubai incident surface
First pictures of Israeli passengers waiting at a Saudi Arabian airport after the Flydubai incident have reportedly surfaced on social media. The development comes as a pilot on a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight was stabbed before the plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia, reports stated.
Sep 30, 2026 05:53 PM IST
Pilot, First Officer of Flydubai plane hospitalised after sustaining injuries, Saudi Arabia's Tabuk Airport says
Saudi Arabia's Tabuk Airport, where the Flydubai flight FZ1073 landed after a brawl and a midair incident, has said that the pilot and first officer have been admitted to hospital after sustaining injuries. However, the airport didn't detail how the two pilots were injured, BBC reported.
Sep 30, 2026 05:35 PM IST
Flydubai Dubai-Tel Aviv passengers recall horror, post videos: ‘There was a hijacking, we have subdued the terrorists’
Videos filmed by passengers aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073 have emerged showing the aftermath of a “violent incident” in the cockpit that forced the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight to divert to Saudi Arabia.
In one video, a bloodied passenger speaks directly into the camera as the aircraft approaches Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
“We’re here during the hijacking of an airplane. At this point we’ve subdued the terrorists, we’re approaching landing. Whoever is hearing me, we need help,” the passenger says.
He then says the plane is landing in “Tabuk, apparently in Saudi Arabia”, describing it as an unfamiliar place. He says the passengers are safe “other than the pilot” and again asks for help.
The video was published by Israel’s Channel 13 and circulated by Israeli media.
The passenger’s description of the incident as a “hijacking” and his reference to “terrorists” reflect his account of what he believed was happening aboard the aircraft. They do not, by themselves, establish the motive or identity of the person involved.
Israeli authorities have said that they suspect the Flydubai flight FZ1073 incident could have been a terrorist attack attempt, as videos from inside the plane have gone viral on social media.
Sep 30, 2026 04:53 PM IST
Flydubai pilots injured after emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, says Riyadh's leading aviation operator Cluster2
The captain and co-pilot of the diverted Flydubai flight FZ1073 were both injured in this morning’s incident and taken to hospital, Saudi Arabia’s leading aviation operator Cluster2 said in a statement a short while ago.
The Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk received a distress call from the Flydubai plane requesting an emergency landing at the airport at 8:44 a.m. local time this morning (1:44 a.m. ET), it said.
The airport declared a state of emergency, and the plane landed safely just over an hour later, it continued.
Both the plane’s captain and co-pilot were transferred to hospital because of their injuries, the aviation operator said, while passengers were treated in the airport terminal.
Coordination has also been carried out to arrange a replacement aircraft following this morning’s incident, Cluster2 said.
Saudi's Tabuk Airport says coordinating with Flydubai to secure replacement aircraft
Saudi Arabia's Tabuk Airport on Wednesday said that it is coordinating with Flydubai to secure a replacement aircraft. The airport added that it received a distress call from a Flydubai flight on Wednesday requesting an emergency landing.
Sep 30, 2026 04:24 PM IST
After hijack scare, another flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted, heading back, says Flightradar24
A second Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, FZ1081, has been diverted and is heading back to Dubai, Reuters reported, citing Flightradar24.
Sep 30, 2026 03:57 PM IST
Flydubai passenger’s chilling plea: ‘Hijacking, we’ve subdued terrorists, need help’
A passenger on board the Israel-bound Flydubai flight FZ1073 that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia described chaotic scenes with blood on his face, saying, "We’re here during the hijacking of an airplane. At this point, we’ve subdued the terrorists; we’re approaching landing. Whoever is hearing me, we need help."
The passenger further added, "We’re landing in Tabuk, apparently in Saudi Arabia. An unknown, unfamiliar area. On the plane, everybody is safe and sound, other than the pilot. We need help."
Sep 30, 2026 03:44 PM IST
Video shows passengers clapping as Flydubai flight lands in Saudi Arabia
A video has been shared by Hebrew media outlets that purportedly shows passengers celebrating and clapping as the Flydubai flight FZ1073 made an emergency landing in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
Sep 30, 2026 03:34 PM IST
What is the timeline of Flydubai flight FZ1073 as it made emergency landing in Saudi Arabia?
03:05 — Take off from Dubai International Airport 05:31 — Squawk changed to 7700 05:38 — Squawk changed to 7500 06:11 — Aircraft left Flightradar24 ground-based coverage 06:28 — Squawk 7700 received via satellite 06:58 — Last signal… pic.twitter.com/ChlUs4kRDU
Here's the timeline of the Flydubai flight FZ1073 as it made an emergency landing in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. The incident took place after the pilots were allegedly involved in a physical altercation, an Israeli official told Reuters.
03:05 — Takeoff from Dubai International Airport
05:31 — Squawk changed to 7700
05:38 — Squawk changed to 7500
06:11 — Aircraft left Flightradar24 ground-based coverage
06:28 — Squawk 7700 received via satellite
06:58 — Last signal received via satellite, at Tabuk Regional Airport {All times in UTC}
Sep 30, 2026 03:18 PM IST
So was it a hijacking?
No. That is not the current assessment. A spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said the incident was not believed to be a hijacking. Reuters reported that an Israeli official said the pilots had transmitted the emergency signals after getting into a physical altercation.
However, it was unclear whether either pilot intentionally activated the signal. AP likewise reported that officials attributed the incident to a dispute or fight between the pilots. Flydubai confirmed that FZ1073 experienced an “incident”, diverted to Tabuk and landed safely, with all passengers safe and accounted for.
Why did Israel initially fear a hijacking of Flydubai flight?
The aircraft transmitted emergency signals while flying from Dubai towards Tel Aviv. Flight-tracking data showed it first transmitted 7700, the international code for a general emergency, and later 7500, which indicates unlawful interference and is commonly associated with a hijacking.
Israel scrambled fighter jets, and senior officials held security consultations as authorities tried to establish what was happening aboard the aircraft.
There are passenger accounts of violence, but the details remain unverified. Reuters reported that the mother of a passenger, Yasmin Abu Kasis, said her daughter heard screaming and reported that a man took a knife, put a pilot on the floor and that there was blood.
The Times of Israel also reported photos showing a passenger with blood on his shirt. These accounts should be attributed and should not be presented as independently established facts
Sep 30, 2026 03:10 PM IST
What do passengers say happened inside the plane?
Passengers told Israel's Channel 12 that they heard shouting towards the front of the aircraft and what appeared to be a physical altercation involving the pilots. They also described a steep descent before the aircraft diverted to Saudi Arabia.
Associated Press reported that passengers remained aboard after landing in Tabuk, with Saudi security forces surrounding the plane.
Did one of the pilots try to crash the Flydubai plane?
Unconfirmed reports in Hebrew media state that one pilot may have tried to take control of the aircraft with the apparent intention of crashing it, and that the other pilot and passengers intervened.
The Times of Israel reported a senior Israeli official saying that “a very serious disaster was averted” and that there were growing indications the co-pilot had tried to take control of the aircraft. These claims have not been independently confirmed by Flydubai or other authorities.
‘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.
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.
