A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after one pilot was reportedly stabbed by another during a mid-air altercation, with passengers helping restrain the alleged attacker as other pilots took control of the aircraft.
Flight FZ1073, carrying around 150 people, most of them Israeli, landed safely at Tabuk Airport in north-eastern Saudi Arabia. Flydubai said all passengers were safe and accounted for following what it described only as an “incident”.
Accounts from passengers reported by Israeli media indicate the situation was considerably more serious. Witnesses said a Flydubai pilot stabbing inside the cockpit was followed by a rapid loss of altitude, screams for help and passengers rushing forward to restrain one of the pilots.
Aircraft plunged 17,000ft in under two minutes
Flight-tracking data examined by BBC Verify showed the aircraft descending more than 17,000ft, or around 5,200 metres, in less than two minutes.
Shortly before 05:21 UTC, the aircraft was cruising at around 34,000ft. Within two minutes, it had fallen below 17,000ft.
Significant fluctuations in altitude continued during the remainder of the flight to Tabuk.
Yasmin, whose daughter was on board, told the Associated Press that her daughter called her after hearing screaming and a pilot calling for help.
“The plane start to lose control. So all the people, they scream, they think they are going,” she said.
Speaking separately to Reuters, Yasmin said two other pilots eventually took control of the aircraft while passengers rushed towards a man who had a knife.
Passengers reportedly restrained one of the pilots
An unnamed passenger told the Jerusalem Post that one pilot had stabbed another before people sitting near the front of the aircraft helped force the alleged attacker out of the cockpit.
According to the passenger, two other pilots happened to be travelling at the back of the aircraft.
“I shouted at them to run and take control of the plane,” the passenger said.
The injured pilot was reportedly given emergency medical treatment by a dentist who was among the passengers.
Another passenger told Israel Hayom that those on board realised something was seriously wrong when the aircraft began descending rapidly.
“We understood the pilots lost control,” she said, describing screams among terrified passengers.
She said one pilot had suffered serious stab wounds before the alleged attacker was pulled away, adding that some passengers had blood on their shirts.
The circumstances surrounding the reported Flydubai pilot stabbing have not yet been fully established by the airline or the relevant authorities.
Hijacking code triggered during emergency
Flight FZ1073 departed Dubai International Airport at 03:05 UTC, around 20 minutes behind schedule.
According to Flightradar24, the aircraft transmitted the emergency squawk code 7700, indicating a general emergency, at around 05:31 UTC.
Seven minutes later, it reportedly switched to 7500, the international transponder code indicating unlawful interference, which can include a hijacking.
The aircraft briefly entered Jordanian airspace before turning back towards Saudi Arabia. It later descended towards Tabuk, where it landed safely.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said the incident was not believed to have been a hijacking.
Israeli fighter jets were dispatched in response to the emergency, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held urgent consultations as the situation unfolded.
Israeli officials quoted anonymously by local media described the incident as a narrowly averted disaster.
Flydubai says all passengers are safe
Flydubai confirmed that the aircraft had experienced an incident but did not provide details about what happened on board.
“Flydubai can confirm that flight FZ1073 operating from Dubai International (DXB) to Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) on 30 September experienced an incident while en route,” the airline said.
“The aircraft has landed safely in Tabuk Airport (TUU) and all passengers are safe and accounted for. The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority.
“Our teams are working closely with the relevant authorities. Further updates will be issued as additional confirmed details become available.”
Netanyahu said the situation was under control and that efforts were underway to return the Israeli passengers home from Saudi Arabia.
Also read: Flydubai hijacking alert on flight from UAE to Israel
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