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Active Regional Emergency / health travel notice

Flydubai Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight Diverts to Saudi Arabia Following Cockpit Attack

A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted safely to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after a pilot stabbed the captain and attempted to sabotage the aircraft mid-air. Passengers and crew subdued the attacker before the plane landed, and Saudi authorities placed the suspect under arrest. Flydubai confirmed all passengers were safe, while the Israel Airports Authority set up an information center for families.

Published Source: Xinhua
Affected country
Regional
Location / route
Flydubai flight FZ1073 / Tabuk Airport, Saudi Arabia
Published by source
September 30, 2026 10:54 PM CST
Effective period
September 30, 2026 12:00 AM CST
Last verified
October 1, 2026 3:15 AM CST
Status
Active

Official guidance

Passengers and families should monitor official Flydubai updates and Israel Airports Authority assistance desks at Ben Gurion Airport Terminal 1.

Summary of official information. Always check the official source and follow the guidance of the authorities. UECN does not issue risk ratings; the absence of an alert does not mean that a destination is safe.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday that a pilot aboard a Flydubai flight operating from Dubai to Tel Aviv stabbed the other pilot and attempted to crash the aircraft before passengers and crew intervened to subdue him.

Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was carrying mostly Israeli passengers, made an emergency landing safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. Netanyahu confirmed via a video statement that the suspected attacker was arrested and is undergoing interrogation by Saudi authorities, adding that Israeli officials remain in continuous contact with regional authorities.

Flight-tracking data showed that the aircraft plunged nearly 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds before transmitting emergency distress signals. According to an Israeli passenger who spoke to Israeli media from the aircraft, passengers and crew forced open the cockpit door and restrained the attacker using headphone cords as he attempted to sabotage flight control systems.

A Flydubai spokesperson confirmed that flight FZ1073 experienced an incident en route from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion International Airport and diverted to Tabuk, stating that all passengers are safe and accounted for. Meanwhile, the Israel Airports Authority opened a dedicated waiting and assistance facility in Terminal 1 at Ben Gurion Airport for relatives of those on board.

Revision history

  1. Active Published automatically from the official source

Sources

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Source: The Times

Flydubai Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight Diverts to Saudi Arabia After Cockpit Altercation

A flydubai flight en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after a cockpit altercation triggered emergency squawk signals. The Israeli Air Force briefly scrambled fighter jets over hijacking concerns before officials confirmed the distress alert was caused by a fight between the pilots. All passengers and crew landed safely, and an investigation into the incident is underway.

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Flydubai Flight Diverts to Saudi Arabia After Transmitting Hijacking Emergency Signal

Flydubai flight FZ1073 en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency diversion to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on September 30 following a violent cockpit disturbance. The Boeing 737 transmitted emergency squawk code 7700 followed by hijacking code 7500 before landing safely. Flydubai confirmed the incident and stated that all passengers on board were accounted for.

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