An Israel-bound flydubai Boeing 737 Max 8 carrying 174 people diverted to Saudi Arabia after a mid-air cockpit attack on Wednesday, October 1, 2026, where the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to crash the aircraft before passengers and a reserve crew intervened.
Cockpit Struggle and Steep Descents on Flight FZ1073
Flight FZ1073 departed Dubai airport at 03:05 GMT, heading for Tel Aviv with 166 Israeli passengers among the 174 people on board, as reported by nzherald.co.nz. Roughly two and a half hours into the journey, violence erupted in the cockpit. According to records from tracking platforms Flightradar24 and AirNav Radar cited by 1news.co.nz, the Boeing aircraft experienced a precipitous drop at 05:22:40 GMT, plummeting from 34,000 feet down to 16,600 feet in a matter of seconds. For 200 seconds, the aircraft zigzagged violently, climbing briefly to 21,725 feet before dropping again to 15,000 feet at 05:24:29 GMT.
Passenger Miryam Shira Ohayon told reporters via speakerphone that the plane felt “pretty much out of control” over Jordan, describing an intentional attempt to murder the pilot and execute a suicide crash, as noted by nzherald.co.nz. The wounded captain, identified by nzherald.co.nz as Indian national Smit Machchhar, managed to send an emergency signal and open the cockpit door while severely injured. An on-duty reserve flydubai crew traveling as passengers then entered the flight deck to stabilize the aircraft, while Israeli passengers rushed forward to overpower and restrain the co-pilot.
Divergence in Official Accounts and Security Assessments
Statements from Israeli leadership sharply contrasted regarding the exact motives behind the cockpit assault. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that the co-pilot had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination” and was likely suicidal, telling Fox News and CBS News that the background pointed toward a radicalized attack, per nzherald.co.nz and theguardian.com. However, Netanyahu also acknowledged in earlier remarks that mental health factors were initially under review.
Other Israeli officials took a more definitive stance. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Defence Minister Israel Katz both characterized the incident as a “jihadist” and terror attack, according to nzherald.co.nz. Meanwhile, two anonymous Israeli security officials told Reuters, as cited by theguardian.com and nypost.com, that the co-pilot likely acted alone, and that all possible scenarios ranging from terrorism to mental disorders remained under evaluation while authorities gathered facts.
US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House following a discussion with Netanyahu that the co-pilot was “perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack-job,” as reported by theguardian.com and nypost.com.
Emergency Landing in Tabuk and Diplomatic Fallout
The aircraft transmitted a Squawk 7700 general emergency signal at 05:28 GMT near the Saudi-Jordanian border, shifting to Squawk 7500 for “unlawful interference” at 05:35 GMT, according to the 1news.co.nz timeline. After turning west into Jordanian airspace and executing a 180-degree turn, the jet landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia at 06:58 GMT. Footage shared by Netanyahu’s office showed the prime minister meeting arriving passengers at Tel Aviv airport after a replacement flydubai flight touched down, embracing a passenger in a bloodied shirt.
In response to the security breach, Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev requested that the Shin Bet halt all flydubai flights entering and exiting Israel, pointing out to the Jerusalem Post that the airline’s operational agreement mandates pilots come from nations with normalized ties to Israel, a category that does not include Oman, where the co-pilot is reportedly of origin. The Israel Airports Authority opened a waiting area for families in Terminal 1 of Ben Gurion Airport, while flydubai announced the suspension of its Israel flights pending a full investigation.
| Flight Milestone (GMT) | Altitude / Event | Reported Status |
|---|---|---|
| 03:05 | 34,000 feet | Takeoff from Dubai airport with 174 occupants. |
| 05:22:40 | 16,600 feet | Sharp drop of over 17,000 feet in under a minute. |
| 05:28 | Flight level variable | First general emergency distress signal (Squawk 7700). |
| 05:35 | 15,000 feet | Distress signal changed to unlawful interference (Squawk 7500). |
| 06:58 | Ground level | Emergency landing completed safely at Tabuk airport, Saudi Arabia. |
Unresolved Inquiries and Ongoing Investigations
Official investigations are currently underway involving Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Netanyahu stated he expected the UAE to lead the probe with Israeli participation, and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar confirmed speaking with UAE counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to collaborate against security threats. The UAE announced it would conduct its own inquiry into the mid-air incident, while airline officials have urged all parties to refrain from premature speculation while facts are gathered.
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