What was supposed to be a routine flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv turned into a terrifying mid-air emergency on Wednesday (September 30). Around 180 passengers were left frightened as chaos erupted in the cockpit thousands of feet above the ground.
It began with a muffled struggle, followed by bloodcurdling screams echoing through the front galley. Then came the unmistakable signs of a violent struggle behind locked doors. As the aircraft suddenly pitched and banked out of its flight path, horrified passengers watched in silence, helpless, realising the fight was not happening in the cabin but at the controls.
Blood was seen smeared near the flight deck entrance before the aircraft dropped out of its planned vector and made an emergency, unscheduled dive into Saudi Arabian airspace.
What drove the crew to turn on each other mid-flight? Was it a sudden mental break, a violent dispute or something far more sinister? As the plane landed in Saudi Arabia under heavy security, passengers were left wondering who was actually flying the aircraft.
Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 travelling from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport, landed safely at Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Flydubai confirmed that all passengers and crew were safe and accounted for. The airline said it had been working with authorities and would provide more information once confirmed details became available.
Reports suggest that the incident was not a hijacking. An Israeli official told Reuters that the emergency signals were sent after the two pilots got into a physical fight in the cockpit. Israeli authorities later said the incident was an internal personnel matter.
What happened in the cockpit?
Israeli media quoted passengers describing a chaotic scene after the incident began. One woman said passengers heard screaming before the cockpit door opened and they saw blood inside. She said a pilot appeared to have been attacked with a pocket knife.
Another passenger, Noam, told The Times of Israel by phone that there was shouting in the aircraft as passengers began to understand that something was seriously wrong. She said they learned that one of the pilots had been stabbed and was badly injured.
The injured pilot then lost control of the aircraft for a period, causing the plane to rapidly descend. Flight-tracking data reviewed by CNN showed that the aircraft fell from around 34,000 feet to about 16,600 feet in just over two minutes, a drop of roughly 17,400 feet.
Passengers and crew members also moved to control the situation inside the aircraft. Some Israeli passengers helped the crew restrain the person involved in the incident.
One passenger described the fear in the cabin and said there were moments when people believed they might not survive.
Emergency signals
The situation became more serious when the aircraft transmitted emergency signals while flying through the region. Flight-tracking information showed that FZ1073 first transmitted the general emergency code 7700 and later a signal associated with unlawful interference, code 7500. The latter is used when there is a suspected hijacking or other unlawful interference with an aircraft.
The signal led to an immediate security response in Israel. Israeli fighter jets were scrambled as authorities initially assessed whether the aircraft could have been hijacked. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior security officials also held consultations over the incident.
The aircraft eventually changed course towards Saudi Arabia and headed for Tabuk. It landed safely there, with all passengers accounted for.
What flydubai has said
Flydubai has confirmed that FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, experienced an incident during the flight and was diverted to Tabuk.
“Our teams are working with the relevant authorities. Further updates will be issued as additional confirmed details become available,” a flydubai spokesperson said. The airline also said that the safety and well-being of passengers and crew were its highest priority.
The aircraft was carrying around 180 people, including about 150 Israeli passengers, according to early information. Reuters said the majority of those on board were Israeli nationals.
