What Happened on the Diverted Flydubai Flight From Dubai to Tel Aviv?

One of the two pilots on a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight tried to stab the other in the cockpit on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, and the plane diverted to Saudi Arabia. Flydubai crew on board secured the aircraft and landed it safely at Tabuk Airport. Passengers then reached Israel on a replacement flight.

The motive remains unclear. Investigators are still working, so treat early claims with caution.

Key Takeaways

• Flight: Flydubai FZ1073, Dubai (DXB) to Tel Aviv (TLV).
• Date: September 30, 2026.
• Diversion point: Tabuk Airport, northwestern Saudi Arabia.
• People on board: Netanyahu said the captain saved 174 people.
• Investigation: The UAE Attorney General ordered a probe into the incident’s circumstances, motives and any terror link.
• Airline response: Flydubai suspended its flights to and from Israel while authorities investigate.

Flydubai FZ1073 Timeline: How the Emergency Unfolded

The flight followed a normal path at first. Then the situation changed within minutes. Below is the sequence reported by Al Jazeera and flight-tracking data (all times GMT).

Flightradar24 reported the emergency codes. Note that CNN cites a different figure: a drop of 17,400 feet in under two minutes. Tracking data varies by source, so the exact numbers may change as investigators release official data.

What Happened Inside the Cockpit?

The Attack on the Captain

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said one pilot stabbed the other, then tried to crash the plane. Footage from the cabin shows the injured pilot on the floor with several stab wounds. Meanwhile, a passenger also had a head wound.

How the Cockpit Door Opened

The injured captain still managed to act. A Netanyahu spokesperson told Reuters that he pressed the release and opened the cockpit door, despite lying covered in blood. As a result, passengers and crew could enter.

Passengers Step In

Passengers reacted quickly. Passenger Dalia Shpigel told Haaretz that people near the front noticed the dive and broke into the cockpit. Then they overpowered the attacker. Passenger Yitzhak Lieber reportedly sent a video to his family saying the group tied up the attacker.

Who Landed the Flydubai Plane?

Flydubai says on-duty crew members travelling on the flight secured the aircraft, diverted it and landed it at Tabuk. Al Jazeera describes them as a second pair of Flydubai pilots on board.

However, one outlet described the rescuers differently. Israel Hayom called them off-duty pilots. In short, Flydubai’s own statement is the most authoritative description so far.

Who Is the Accused Pilot?

The accused pilot’s identity is not officially confirmed. An Israeli official told Reuters, on condition of anonymity, that the attacker is an Omani national. Saudi authorities were questioning him, and Netanyahu said he could be sent to the UAE.

The Injured Captain

India’s embassy identified the injured captain as Indian national Smit Machchhar. He is in stable condition at a hospital in Tabuk. Leaders in Israel and India called him a hero.

What Is the Suspected Motive?

Officials have not established a motive. Still, several voices have weighed in.

• Flydubai: The airline urged everyone to avoid premature speculation while authorities gather facts.
• Israel’s defense minister: Israel Katz said preliminary information suggested the attacker meant to crash the plane and kill everyone aboard. He called it an attempted jihadist terror attack.
• Netanyahu: He said it was too early to say whether Iran played a role.

Therefore, readers should separate official findings from political statements until the investigation concludes.

How Did Israel Respond?

Reuters reported that Israel deployed warplanes as the flight diverted through Jordanian airspace. Afterward, Netanyahu ordered authorities to ramp up security on Israeli and non-Israeli carriers.

Politics also entered the story. Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu’s allies of linking the incident to earlier attack warnings ahead of the October 27 election. Notably, Lapid said those warnings had nothing to do with planes.

Was a Second Flydubai Flight Diverted?

No. Hebrew media wrongly reported that flight FZ1081 turned around. The Times of Israel said a flight-tracking glitch likely caused the error, and the plane flew on without any emergency signal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on the flight to Israel?

Flydubai flight FZ1073 left Dubai for Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026. About two and a half hours later, one pilot allegedly stabbed the other and the jet dropped sharply. Passengers then entered the cockpit and overpowered the attacker. The crew landed the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Finally, the passengers continued to Israel on a replacement flight.

What happened with Fly Dubai?

Flydubai faced a major in-flight security incident. The airline confirmed an altercation in the flight deck. It then suspended all flights to and from Israel during the investigation. The airline also says the motive is unknown and awaits formal findings.

Who landed the Dubai plane today?

Flydubai says on-duty crew travelling on the flight landed the aircraft at Tabuk Airport. The injured captain did not land it. Instead, a second pair of pilots on board took over.

Who landed the fly Dubai flight?

The answer matches the one above. Flydubai crew members already on the flight landed it safely. Meanwhile, the injured captain received treatment after landing.

Are flights to Israel still on?

It depends on the airline. Flydubai has suspended its Israel flights for now. Conditions also change quickly, and airline suspensions in this region have shifted often in recent years. Therefore, check your airline’s official page and Ben Gurion Airport’s flight board before you travel. Treat any date you see in older articles as outdated.

Is Israel on high alert right now?

Security has tightened. Netanyahu said Israel is preparing for other potential threats and ordered stronger security on carriers. However, no official statement raises a specific new national alert level tied to this event. Follow Israel’s Home Front Command and your government’s travel advisory for current guidance.

Which plane was hijacked recently?

The aircraft was Flydubai flight FZ1073. Its transponder sent the code for unlawful interference, which signals a hijacking. Still, authorities ruled out a standard hijacking. The emergency stemmed from a violent brawl in the cockpit. Accordingly, officials describe it as a suspected attempt to crash the plane, not a classic hijacking.

What Happens Next?

Several questions remain open. Investigators must confirm the motive and check for accomplices. They also need to establish the pilot’s background and the aircraft’s data. In addition, regulators may review cockpit security rules across the region.

Because the story is moving fast, this article may change as officials release verified details.