A passenger flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced to make an emergency diversion to Tabuk Airport in northeastern Saudi Arabia on Wednesday following reports of a stabbing inside the cockpit. Flight FZ1073, which was carrying approximately 150 people—the majority of whom were Israeli citizens—initiated an emergency alert roughly two hours into its journey. Flydubai’s flight FZ1073 took off from Dubai International Airport in the UAE at 03:05 GMT (07:05 local time) on Wednesday. Dropping more than 17,000 feet (over 5,000m) in less than two minutes at around 05:21, data from flight tracking website Flightrader24 shows a rapid descent for the plane over Saudi Arabia around two and a half hours after take-off. The plane signalled an emergency code – squawk 7700 – before switching it to a squawk 7500 code reporting a hijacking, minutes later. At 05:40, the plane – which had briefly entered Jordanian airspace – looped back into Saudi Arabia, where it later started its manual descent for landing.
Flight Timeline and Emergency Response
- Flight departure: 03:05 GMT from Dubai International Airport.
- Rapid descent: Dropped over 17,000 feet in under two minutes at 05:21 GMT.
- Emergency codes: Squawked 7700 before switching to 7500, which indicates a hijacking or unlawful interference.
- Airspace maneuver: The aircraft briefly entered Jordanian airspace before looping back into Saudi Arabia for an emergency landing at 06:58 GMT.
- Medical status: The captain and first officer were transported to a local hospital for injuries, according to the facility’s operator.
Witnesses on board described scenes of panic as the aircraft began its rapid descent. One passenger’s mother, Yasmin Abukasis, relayed accounts from her daughter, who reported seeing a man brandishing a knife and forcing a pilot to the floor. According to passenger accounts, fellow crew members and individuals on the flight intervened to subdue the attacker, and two pilots from among the passengers eventually assisted in landing the aircraft. It did not say what caused the injuries.
Reports indicate that passengers witnessed blood in the cabin area. One traveler described the situation as highly stressful, noting that the cabin staff and passengers worked together to gain control of the situation. Among those involved in the cockpit intervention, a British pilot and another European pilot reportedly helped secure the plane. Flydubai confirmed in a statement that all passengers are accounted for and safe, noting that the flight experienced an incident while en route. The company stated that it is working closely with relevant authorities to investigate the matter. The Flydubai plane took off early on Wednesday morning (Stock photo). Tracking data also showed a sudden drop in the plane’s altitude.
In the aftermath of the emergency, both Israeli and Saudi Arabian air forces deployed fighter jets. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed he had held urgent consultations regarding the incident, stating that the situation is currently under control. While official reports from police or investigative agencies are pending, the motive for the attack remains unknown. A recovery flight, FZ8455, was dispatched from Dubai to transport the passengers from Tabuk Airport.
