A flydubai Boeing 737 suffered what can only be described as the most terrifying inflight incident imaginable, whereby an altercation broke out in the cockpit, causing the plane to plunge around 15,000 feet in a matter of seconds. Fortunately the plane could be saved, but this was very close to having a very different outcome.
Flydubai flight plunges toward ground, transmits hijacking code
This incident happened today, Wednesday, September 30, 2026, and involves flydubai flight FZ1073, scheduled from Dubai (DXB) to Tel Aviv (TLV), which had approximately 180 people onboard. The 1,326-mile flight was operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8 with the registration code A6-FKF. Let’s start with what we know to be facts.
The plane took off at 7:05AM local time, and the first 2hr15min of the flight were routine, at least in terms of the route flown. However, while the plane was at its cruising altitude of 34,000 feet over northern Saudi Arabia, it suddenly entered a steep nosedive, as it descended from 34,000 feet to 19,000 feet in a little over a minute. At this point, the plane transmitted a squawk code of 7500 (the transponder code for unlawful interference), and as a result, Israel dispatched fighter jets.
Once the plane was on a more normal track, it eventually squawked 7700 (the transponder code for a general emergency). The plane then diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia (TUU), where it landed roughly 1hr25min after the incident first started, and 3hr35min after the plane first left Dubai.
The very steep descent took such a toll on the plane that it lost its rudder, given that structural limits were being pushed. It’s a miracle that the entire vertical stabilizer wasn’t lost, in which case this plane almost certainly couldn’t have been saved.
Emirati airline flydubai has released the following statement about this incident:
“Flydubai can confirm that flight FZ 1073 operating from Dubai International (DXB) to Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) on 30 September experienced an incident while en route. The aircraft has landed safely in Tabuk Airport (TUU), and all passengers are safe and accounted for. The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority. Our teams are working closely with the relevant authorities. Further updates will be issued as additional confirmed details become available.”
Flydubai cockpit fight included pilot getting stabbed
The thought of a plane plunging 15,000 feet in a minute is beyond terrifying. The plane reached incredibly high speeds, and as you can see, that even caused damage, since planes aren’t built to just nosedive in this way, for obvious reasons. Thank goodness that a full disaster was avoided.
This now brings us from the facts that we can determine based on flight tracking software, to what eyewitness reports suggest.
According to passengers onboard, a fight broke out in the cockpit, and this included the captain being stabbed with a knife. Now, the belief is that it was the first officer who stabbed him, but that’s not 100% confirmed. In the age of reinforced cockpit doors, you’d hope that no one else would be able to access the cockpit, for that matter.
Eventually passengers and the crew intervened and entered the cockpit, presumably because the captain opened the door, and helped pin down the attacker (believed to be the first officer, but again, it’s not 100% confirmed, so I don’t want to pass it off as fact).
Fortunately there were two pilots on the aircraft traveling as passengers, so they ended up taking over control of the aircraft and flying it, as the injured captain and the (alleged) restrained first officer were removed from the cockpit.
Israeli authorities have opened an investigation against the first officer, as the belief is that the first officer attempted to take over the aircraft in order to crash it.
What an absolutely terrifying incident. We don’t know for sure that it’s the case here, but when you look at commercial aviation accidents over the past couple of decades, one of the leading causes of them is pilots intentionally bringing down planes (including the 2022 China Eastern Boeing 737 incident, where the plane just entered a nosedive and crashed into the ground).
If that’s what happened here, everyone on this aircraft is very lucky to be alive, because this was very close to having a different ending. And if this was in fact attempted terrorism, it’s hard to imagine that the route on which this happened was a coincidence.
Bottom line
A flydubai Boeing 737 enroute from the UAE to Israel plunged toward the ground, as it descended from 34,000 feet to 19,000 feet in just over a minute. A hijacking code was then transmitted, causing fighter jets to be scrambled. Reports suggest that the first officer stabbed the captain, and then the cockpit door was opened so that more people could control the first officer.
The plane ended up then being flown by two off duty pilots, who diverted the plane to Saudi Arabia. Thank goodness this didn’t turn into a mass casualty event.
What do you make of this horrifying flydubai situation?
Awful. Just awful. (Though, let’s be honest, while this should never happen, better that it happened in/over Saudi Arabia this time, than by Saudis elsewhere… haven’t forgotten.)
Incidents like this (and those in China and India) make you think that there needs to be mandatory physiological tests and counselling for pilots. At this point it seems the most likely way for a plane in commercial aviation to go down is if the pilot wants it to
I don't think counselling can do anything for this "religion"
Needs to mandatory remove humans from controls.
"physiological tests" check for body movement ? how would "physiological tests" help ?
Most important question is how did he get a knife on board a flight to Israel? Because absent that, most other safeguards are pretty strong to prevent pilot hijacking these days.
Decades ago I witnessed an argument between a Pilot and security at ZRH. I am translating because I can not spell in German or Swiss dialect. The pilot refused having his bag searched, stating, "Do you think I am bringing a bomb to my cockpit?" The security response was priceless, he simply stated "of course not because I will not allow you to proceed to the cockpit without being searched!"
Of course, in this...
Decades ago I witnessed an argument between a Pilot and security at ZRH. I am translating because I can not spell in German or Swiss dialect. The pilot refused having his bag searched, stating, "Do you think I am bringing a bomb to my cockpit?" The security response was priceless, he simply stated "of course not because I will not allow you to proceed to the cockpit without being searched!"
Of course, in this case we know there is always an emergency axe in the cockpit.
Security theater is just that - theater.
Saudi Arabia beheads people, and the UAE uses firing squads. Either of which would be appropriate for this scumbag, IMO.
And the USA still executes people , granted not in all states and mostly MAGAworld.
If the flight deck door is always locked how was it opened ?
swiveling on it's hinges ?
1. Terrorist co-Pilot from Oman wants to crash the plane because it’s going to Israel and injures both pilots
2. The injured captain opens the cockpit from the inside so passengers can assist in taking over the terrorist Omani
3. Passengers help take over terrorist Omani
4. Injured captain successfully lands plane
Regarding point 4, I have seen reports that there were two pilots traveling as pax, they took over.
@ Aaron-- This was not a hijacking attempt according to the press release from the Israeli prime minister's office.
Typical of this sort of Egyptians .
I think you spelled Omani wrong
a violent incident directly involving Israel and risking lives of hundreds of innocents - religion of peace or leftoidism, which one will it be? Genuinely can't make a bet. Religion of peace by all accounts, especially the stabbing part. But then again, flydubai has too many international pilots. a Spaniard, maybe?
Fellas, the problem here is that the first officer tried to crash the plane, not his background (religion, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, race, gender, age, etc.) For example, in the Germanwings incident, first officer Andreas Lubitz was a white, male, Christian German national. Mental illness can impact anyone. Shouldn’t we be focused on that, not trying to start yet another Holy War on here? Sheesh.
And yet, his co-pilot was most likely a Muslim man who stopped the attack. But I am sure his religion won’t matter as much of the religion of the person with the knife, to the likes of you.
Well the FO is an Indian national
@GRkennedy my understanding is the FO, who attempted to crash the plane, is Omani. The pilot, who tried to stop him, is Indian.
@Aaron, the pilot who stopped the attack by the Omani co-pilot is reportedly Indian, so I would guess Hindu rather than Muslim.
The likes of me have more than a single brain cell and understand that just because not every single muslim is a suicidal terrorist doesn't fix or contradict the fact that almost every single suicidal terrorist is a muslim.
Gentlemen, we do now have an update - he is Omani, so yes, to the absolute shock of absolutely no one, the religion of peace it is, doing the only things it knows how to do: stabbing, crashing planes, exploding things.
Leftists here like Israel more than any Muslim countries, quite surprisingly so for them. At least that makes sense, why would supposedly a pro-gay person be supporting the most hostile religion towards homosexuality is beyond me (or just a typical left hypocrisy perhaps).
Given the current US administration is led by Republicans, probably leftoidism, though.
I think we’re approaching the point where a reinforced cockpit door opening only from the inside might need a rethink. Remote monitoring of the cockpit with someone on the ground who can release the door in the age of Starlink (or an AI solution eventually), perhaps?
Record pilots, holding them accountable?
Unions will be going berserk.
Only took 3.5 comments for the first antisemitic comment to appear. Do better everyone!
@Aaron
I think we are seeing more anti-Islamic comments more than anynting.
Correct, and Islam is not a race, it's a politico-religious ideology, and nothing more. Once any ideology is put on a pedestal and declared to be above criticism or ridicule, you've got tyranny. If someone calls you an "Islamophobia", remind them that the term "was nvented by fascists, and is used by cowards to manipulate morons". Don't be another moron. There's nothing irrational about fearing Islam.
> it's a politico-religious ideology, and nothing more. Once any
> ideology is put on a pedestal and declared to be above
> criticism or ridicule, you've got tyranny.
So, like Zionism?
Yes, except that Zionism isn't invading Europe
Like these?
"A disqualified flight crew on a flight from a craphole in disguise of heaven"
"Typical of this sort of Egyptians"
"Terrorist co-Pilot from Oman" [we don't know his intentions; he could have been depressed and insane and not trying to make a political statement, so this is an assumption]
The unfortunate reality is that this will now be used by Israel as further justification to kill Palestinians and Lebanese, which is why this does not illicit the same sympathy I would have if it was flying to any other destination.
"This will now be used by Israel as further justification to kill Palestinians." Why don't Palestinians (and for that matter, other Jihadists) don't understand that if they were peaceful, they'd already have a State and would already live in peace?
The Egyptian government understood this and got Sinai back. The Jordan government understood this and lives peacefully next to Israel. The Palestinian Authority (let alone Hamas) still doesn't get this, sadly.
Crawl back into that dark putrid hole of yours
Straight out of a (bad) thriller movie!
And here we have the other side doing their favorite thing, making something up and then getting mad at that fake thing.
@BigT3x you people have mashed up brains istg… the level of delusion is just unfathomable. The one creating fake narratives and actually believing it’s real are you people. How you can look at this incident and think this is fake just show how corrupt your mind is.
What's fake about it? It's not all of them, but it's almost always them. That's a fact.
That is indeed happening everywhere. Is your favorite thing perhaps calling everything you don't like fake/racist/fascist/bigot/MAGA/Trumpist?
That's two incidents in two years (Air India in '25) where a potential crash originated inside the cockpit. Setting aside the whole middle east politics aspects of this one, that seems very bad.
Funny how it's always the supposedly peaceful side of the conflict that keeps killing random people because of their ethnicity. Somehow I don't see "the evil Jews" crashing planes, burning mosques or stabbing random Arabs...
No. They just bomb innocent people and commit genocide...
Yahya Sinwar is innocent?
Mohamed Deif is innocent?
Ismail Haniyeh is innocent?
Innocent people who partied, danced and prayed on October 7th...
Are you seriously conflating Hamas leaders and fighters with actual innocent Gaza civilians???
@ Smic8881, let's compare the number of Palestinians living today to the number living three years ago. Then look at the birthrate. Then look at the number claimed killed, and take out those who were members of Hamas or working with Hamas. Then also take out those killed because Hamas made them into targets by intermixing their operations with civilians. Then let's compare these numbers (or percentages) to the killings Iran is perpetuating against its...
@ Smic8881, let's compare the number of Palestinians living today to the number living three years ago. Then look at the birthrate. Then look at the number claimed killed, and take out those who were members of Hamas or working with Hamas. Then also take out those killed because Hamas made them into targets by intermixing their operations with civilians. Then let's compare these numbers (or percentages) to the killings Iran is perpetuating against its own citizens. Then let's compare to some other widely accepted genocides - South Sudan starting in, say, 2011 and particularly in Darfur, the Rohingyas in Myanmar, Rwanda in 1994 (60-70% of Tutsis killed, about 7% of the country's total population), the Holocaust, just to name a few.
@jallan
Official UN investigation has already stated that Israel has committed four acts of genocide including the killing over 70,000 Palestinians (with to 60%-70% of the casualties being women and children), systematically destroying hospitals and reproductive healthcare facilities, thus, preventing births, engineering starvation and specifically targeting children. Almost 90% of the total population has been forcibly displaced and over 80% of all structures in Gaza have been destroyed.
If you're going to claim...
@jallan
Official UN investigation has already stated that Israel has committed four acts of genocide including the killing over 70,000 Palestinians (with to 60%-70% of the casualties being women and children), systematically destroying hospitals and reproductive healthcare facilities, thus, preventing births, engineering starvation and specifically targeting children. Almost 90% of the total population has been forcibly displaced and over 80% of all structures in Gaza have been destroyed.
If you're going to claim that this isn't a genocide simply because there have been larger scale killings in the past, then I'm afraid you misunderstand what genocide means under international law.
@Smic8881, and the "official" numbers ignore, or fail to discriminate, between those who were killed who were actually uninvolved civilians, and those who were killed who were Hamas fighters, or otherwise aiding Hamas. Hamas is not a recognized military; there is no clean number of its fighters, no uniforms to identify. They mingle with the civilian population. It is next to impossible to take out the terrorists without some civilian casualties. In 2023 the population...
@Smic8881, and the "official" numbers ignore, or fail to discriminate, between those who were killed who were actually uninvolved civilians, and those who were killed who were Hamas fighters, or otherwise aiding Hamas. Hamas is not a recognized military; there is no clean number of its fighters, no uniforms to identify. They mingle with the civilian population. It is next to impossible to take out the terrorists without some civilian casualties. In 2023 the population of Gaza was about 2 million. Even if 70,000 civilians were killed, and no Hamas, that's a far cry from a genocide. If Israel really wanted to wipe out every man, woman, and child in Gaza, it could carpet bomb or take other actions to actively kill them all. Instead Israel drops flyers advising people that they're going to be bombing an area. Yes, lots of people have called it a "genocide." That doesn't pass the smell test. Are there innocent civilians being killed? Yes. On both sides. That doesn't mean it is rises to an "intent to destroy a protected group."
Let me first start by saying that in no way do I condone Hamas' actions on 7th Oct nor Israel's ongoing operations and killing of civilians. With that out of the way...
Civilian casualties are not automatically lawful because Hamas operates among civilians.
“If Israel really wanted to destroy everyone, it could kill everyone” isn't a test for genocide. Genocide does not require an attempt to kill every member of a protected group.
Let me first start by saying that in no way do I condone Hamas' actions on 7th Oct nor Israel's ongoing operations and killing of civilians. With that out of the way...
Civilian casualties are not automatically lawful because Hamas operates among civilians.
“If Israel really wanted to destroy everyone, it could kill everyone” isn't a test for genocide. Genocide does not require an attempt to kill every member of a protected group.
"Yes, lots of people have called it a "genocide." That doesn't pass the smell test." That is an actual legal finding by a UN investigative body, not merely a description used by commentators.
"Instead Israel drops flyers advising people that they're going to be bombing an area." Oh, wow! How considerate of them. While giving warnings to civilians can be relevant evidence of precautions it does not by itself establish that an attack was lawful or disprove genocidal intent.
Sure, dude. Guess you know better than the UN on what constitutes a genocide.
Forget it, Hamasniks are impervious to reason. They've swallowed the Hamas propaganda whole, and they'll believe it until the day they die.
@PeteAU
That's what a genocidal psychopath like you would say. Ignore facts and official reports, claiming it's propaganda but believe in "trust me bro" sh@t.
Well done mate.
Yeah, famously the folks that have zero resources, can't get wheelchairs, baby formula, etc. are the propagandists. Not the country that has infiltrated the US government and US media, merged with the US military, and received billions upon billions of dollars from us, the taxpayer.
The Palestinians proved on 9/11 that they are no friends of America and no friends to the West by dancing with joy in the streets at the sight of the Twin Towers burning and collapsing. They shouldn't receive our sympathy or support.
And how much friendly is Israel to teh Americans. Most of American soldiers are dying fighting Israel's war.
ORD_Is_My_Second_Home, would someone who called into local news station and bragged about his building now being the tallest rather than condemning the attacks or shown any kind of empathy for the lives lost, be considered a friend of America?
No they don't. You're insane.
Seems like we're well past time to use autopilot more comprehensively and potentially have an "extreme action override" that either prevents catastrophic inputs or pings an on-ground operator that can't control the plane but could prevent extreme actions without clear reason?
Kind of like some places saying there's no reason for a car to go 140mph, so limit it to the legal top speed and make the speedometer match... why not use software to...
Seems like we're well past time to use autopilot more comprehensively and potentially have an "extreme action override" that either prevents catastrophic inputs or pings an on-ground operator that can't control the plane but could prevent extreme actions without clear reason?
Kind of like some places saying there's no reason for a car to go 140mph, so limit it to the legal top speed and make the speedometer match... why not use software to prevent actions that can only destroy the plane? There's never a reason for a nosedive into a mountain-- surely that can be programmed in a way that simply prevents bad action (without giving positive control over the plane away).
"why not use software to prevent actions that can only destroy the plane?"
It exists.
It's called Airbus.
I'm glad they landed in Saudi Arabia, where the copilot will have all pertinent information gently extracted from him before they cut his head off. Karma, dude. Karma. The security chief at Dubai will also have some questions to answer about how the FO managed to board with a dangerous weapon.
So, you are saying ALL Israelis 18 years old have to serve in the Military? So basically All of them were involved in The Genocide? Also this happens a Day after Israeli PM visits UAE?
The other surprising part is, This News is not even on CNN and other US media? If an Israeli misses his Flight, or Flight is Delayed It becomes International news.
This also goes to show there is Dissent...
So, you are saying ALL Israelis 18 years old have to serve in the Military? So basically All of them were involved in The Genocide? Also this happens a Day after Israeli PM visits UAE?
The other surprising part is, This News is not even on CNN and other US media? If an Israeli misses his Flight, or Flight is Delayed It becomes International news.
This also goes to show there is Dissent in the ME also and more of this to come. UAE may have to pay a price for being so cozy with Israel when most of the world is trying to stay away from the Genociding Government.
Oof. How about some calming 'facts'... Conscription in Israel is not universal. Mandatory service rules depend on a citizen's religion, ethnicity, gender, and medical status, meaning significant portions of the population (most Arab-Israeli citizens and many ultra-Orthodox Jews) do not serve. Meanwhile, active conscription is a common global practice maintained by over 60 countries worldwide, including South Korea (18–21 months, all able-bodied men), Finland, and Thailand (lottery system). *The More You Know*
Oof. How about some calming 'facts'... Conscription in Israel is not universal. Mandatory service rules depend on a citizen's religion, ethnicity, gender, and medical status, meaning significant portions of the population (most Arab-Israeli citizens and many ultra-Orthodox Jews) do not serve. Meanwhile, active conscription is a common global practice maintained by over 60 countries worldwide, including South Korea (18–21 months, all able-bodied men), Finland, and Thailand (lottery system). *The More You Know*
i disagree with the views of another reader who alleged that
there was fight in the cockpit which resulted inthe crash of
air india flt AI171 at AMD in 2025
it was a different situation there was no fight between
captain and first officer. that is the speculative conclusion of
the investigating body. i strongly suspect that it was due to
sabotage done to the hydraulic system which affected
i disagree with the views of another reader who alleged that
there was fight in the cockpit which resulted inthe crash of
air india flt AI171 at AMD in 2025
it was a different situation there was no fight between
captain and first officer. that is the speculative conclusion of
the investigating body. i strongly suspect that it was due to
sabotage done to the hydraulic system which affected
the fuel supply to the engines. dont know who did it
-- whether it was done by engg staff, ground handling co
who do APU/GPU charging to aircraft or ground support
division or catering people who all have access to the
operational/tarmac area.
in this case flydubai, the name of t he co pilot was not
disclosed. dont know the reason for that. that co pilot may be
against israel
i read the report myself and i was shocked and devastated
i could imagine how the passengers would have felt the
sudden jerk and jolt loosing 15000 feet down it is really scarry
i felt like this in 1990s when i was flying BOM to MAA domestic
sector which was flying to SIN via MAA the flight suddenly
lost altitude to the tune of 2000 feet. even the captain did not
know envisage such thing it was a sudden change of weather
and development it was not shown in the flight plan given
by flight dispatch manager. the Director of operations was
the captain who operated that flight
now this is a very serious case.
With the Western left now become full-blown pro-Islam, unsurprisingly, given that its core value for both is hatred of the USA; and is feeding ever more hatred against the Jews every day. This will only get worse.
What we know: the first officer, an Omani national, stabbed the captain and instigated the erratic flight behaviour. The captain, an Indian national, was assaulted and stabbed, but managed to get the cockpit door open so that help could come. He held the FO in a choke hold to prevent them from continuing to enter any more aggressive commands. The Indian captain and the first passenger who entered the flight deck have been deemed heroes...
What we know: the first officer, an Omani national, stabbed the captain and instigated the erratic flight behaviour. The captain, an Indian national, was assaulted and stabbed, but managed to get the cockpit door open so that help could come. He held the FO in a choke hold to prevent them from continuing to enter any more aggressive commands. The Indian captain and the first passenger who entered the flight deck have been deemed heroes for preventing a disaster. The FO’s motive remain uncertain. The captain is recovering and no casualties occurred during the incident.
The more I learn about this incident, the more bone chilling it gets. Why would you fly on a Middle East airline from or to USA where the chances of the pilot being of Islamic religion are high and we know the well documented hatred they have for Jews.
As someone who flies often, would really avoid all Middle Eastern airlines, specially on routes that are flying to US or from US or for that matter even from Europe and to Europe.
Air Dubai, which had up to 10 flights a day, has suspended service to Tel Aviv. I doubt that Dubai was the final destination for many Israeli passengers, so they have been hijacked to non-kosher hotels and restaurants. Maybe that was the suicidal pilot's true motive.
This raises some serious safety questions. If it gets confirmed that the pilot was stabbed, then we'd need to understand how come someone can board an aircraft, in Dubai airport, with a knife.
I'd like to hear regulators in Europe and North America saying whether they're still happy receiving flights from Dubai airport if there is such a security breach there.
What's the motive? Obviously we don't know. And it's likely that we will eventually be fed two very different stories at some point; one from the Israelis and another from the UAE. Let's see: an Omani allegedly stabs the captain and tries to crash the aircraft. An aircraft headed to Tel Aviv and loaded with Israelis. Not a flight headed to Ankara or Lahore or Tripoli. No, it was Israel.
Already easy to come...
What's the motive? Obviously we don't know. And it's likely that we will eventually be fed two very different stories at some point; one from the Israelis and another from the UAE. Let's see: an Omani allegedly stabs the captain and tries to crash the aircraft. An aircraft headed to Tel Aviv and loaded with Israelis. Not a flight headed to Ankara or Lahore or Tripoli. No, it was Israel.
Already easy to come to conclusions which, given the attitudes of millions of people, are pretty easy to draw and pretty likely to be accurate.
the motive is israelis obviously
Ahhh, there is a difference between correlation and causation. You are making huge leaps of logic without solid data points to support your hypothesis. Perhaps, just maybe, the pax ethnicity and flight destination had precisely zero to do with motivation of the knife attack.
And Israel lost its luster as a tourist destination three years ago so it's no surprise that the majority of pax were Israeli and not Westerners wishing to visit Bethlehem.