Flydubai FZ1073: Omani co-pilot stabbed Emirati captain and tried to seize control, Israeli officials say
Israeli officials told NDTV the Omani co-pilot stabbed the Emirati captain and tried to take control of flight FZ1073, which plunged 17,400 feet in two minutes before landing in Tabuk; a terrorist motive has not been ruled out.
This is a follow-up to our earlier report on the cockpit altercation aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, which triggered emergency signals, prompted Israel to scramble fighter jets and diverted the Dubai–Tel Aviv jet to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. Read the base report: https://flipnews.co.uk/world/flydubai-fz1073-hijack-scare-saudi-diversion/
Israeli officials told NDTV the captain was Emirati and his co-pilot Omani, and that the Omani co-pilot stabbed the Emirati captain and tried to take control of the aircraft. The officials are not ruling out a terrorist attack, and ruled out earlier Israeli media reports that the pilots were of Russian and Ukrainian origin. (Source: NDTV)
CNN, citing Israeli security officials, said the aircraft dropped 17,400 feet — from 34,000 to around 16,600 — over two minutes. Israeli media reported that one pilot deliberately pointed the airliner downward in an apparent attempt to crash it, but that the other pilot fought him and, with passengers’ help, stopped the descent; authorities are yet to confirm that account. (Source: NDTV)
An Israeli official told i24NEWS that passengers, helped by other pilots travelling on the aircraft, overpowered the attacker during a plunge of around 4,000 metres; the prime minister’s office said the incident was not believed to be a hijacking. N12 reported one pilot fainted during the fight and both were removed from the flight after landing, while airport authorities quoted by AFP said the pilots had been injured and hospitalised. The Flydubai CEO told Israeli officials a replacement plane will be sent from Dubai to Saudi Arabia, then on to Israel to bring the passengers home. “The incident is under control, and all measures are currently being deployed in order to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel,” Netanyahu’s office said on X. Flydubai said FZ1073 “has landed safely in Tabuk Airport (TUU) and all passengers are safe and accounted for”. (Sources: NDTV; Mathrubhumi English; Arab News)
Sources
- NDTV: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/in-flydubai-scare-omani-co-pilot-stabbed-emirati-captain-tried-to-take-control-12119221
- Arab News: https://www.arabnews.com/middle-east/flydubai-passenger-jet-pilots-in-midair-bloody-flight-israeli-media-reports-3003843
- Mathrubhumi English: https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/world/flydubai-fz1073-pilot-stabbing-crash-attempt-cockpit-sq0sqzf5
- IANS: https://ianslive.in/flydubai-jet-makes-emergency-landing-in-saudi-arabia-after-hijack-alert-pilot-fight-suspected—20260930145628
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