Circuit Wire — a daily news update from the Circuit.
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, September 30, after one pilot stabbed the other in the cockpit, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. He said the attacker then appeared to try to crash the aircraft with everyone on board, Al Jazeera reported with Reuters and AFP.
Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 Max 8, left Dubai at about 03:05 UTC and was crossing Jordanian airspace when the trouble began. Flight-tracking data shows the jet dropping more than 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds at around 05:22 UTC. It transmitted a general emergency code at 05:31, then switched to the code for unlawful interference at 05:38, according to Flightradar24 data. The aircraft landed in Tabuk at 06:45 UTC.
Israel scrambled fighter jets as the emergency unfolded, fearing the hijacking of a plane carrying dozens of its citizens, CBS News and the Associated Press reported. Passengers told Israel's Channel 12 they heard shouting from the front of the cabin before the aircraft dipped steeply. Passenger accounts say several people seated near the front forced their way into the cockpit and overpowered the attacker. Netanyahu said he had spoken with one of them and credited the passengers with preventing a major disaster.
Flydubai confirmed that an altercation occurred on the flight deck. The airline said crew members traveling on board secured the aircraft and diverted it, and that all passengers were safe and accounted for. Tabuk airport said both the captain and the first officer were taken to the hospital with injuries. Netanyahu said Saudi authorities have detained the attacker and are questioning him.
An Israeli official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, identified the attacker as an Omani national. Passenger accounts quoted by AFP describe the co-pilot attacking the captain. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said preliminary information showed the attacker meant to crash the plane and called the incident "an attempted jihadist terror attack." The motive has not been officially confirmed, and neither the airline nor Saudi authorities have publicly described it as a hijacking. Flydubai said it is working with the relevant authorities and will issue updates as confirmed details emerge.
Commercial flights between Israel and the United Arab Emirates began after the two countries normalized ties in 2020. Israel has no formal diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia or Oman. The incident comes days before the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack and weeks before Israel's October 27 election. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said a security warning he received from Netanyahu the night before had nothing to do with aircraft. Early reports that a second Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, FZ1081, had turned back were traced to a flight-tracking glitch.
Want a weekly roundup of the major stories shaping the security industry? The On The Circuit newsletter is read by more than 12,000 protection professionals.
Spotted something we should cover? Send tips and feedback via circuit-magazine.com.