A terrifying incident unfolded aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073 on Wednesday when a Boeing 737 MAX 8 flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced to make an emergency diversion to Saudi Arabia following a reported cockpit altercation.
According to a passengers, the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain during a confrontation inside the cockpit and then collapsed onto the aircraft’s controls. The passenger said the aircraft subsequently began plunging rapidly, sending passengers into panic.
“There are many different accounts,” the passenger said, describing how the aircraft descended for several minutes while passengers screamed. Overhead compartments reportedly opened and electrical power was temporarily lost, leaving passengers fearing the worst.
The passenger’s account of the alleged stabbing has not been independently confirmed by Flydubai or Saudi or Israeli authorities. Investigators are still working to establish exactly what happened inside the cockpit.
Publicly available flight-tracking data showed FZ1073 descending dramatically from approximately 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in about one minute, roughly two and a half hours after departing Dubai.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 then reportedly made an erratic turn near the Jordanian border before continuing toward Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
The aircraft also transmitted emergency transponder code 7700 and briefly switched to 7500, the code used to indicate unlawful interference with an aircraft, before returning to 7700.
The sudden emergency triggered major security concerns in Israel because the aircraft was carrying dozens of Israeli citizens. Israeli authorities initially feared the possibility of a hijacking, prompting fighter jets to be scrambled as the situation unfolded.
Passengers later described hearing shouting near the front of the aircraft and feeling the plane dip sharply during the emergency. After landing in Tabuk, the aircraft was reportedly surrounded by a heavy Saudi security presence while passengers remained aboard.
A regional official briefed on the incident said an altercation had apparently occurred between the pilots, although the circumstances that led to the confrontation remained unclear. Israeli media also reported that a dispute between the two pilots was believed to have triggered the emergency.
An Israeli official told the Associated Press that Israel believed the incident may have represented an attempt to attack Israelis, although the investigation was still underway.
Flydubai later confirmed that Flight FZ1073 had experienced an incident while traveling toward Ben Gurion Airport and had landed safely in Tabuk.
The airline said its teams were working closely with the relevant authorities and that additional updates would be provided as confirmed information became available.
All passengers and crew were reported safe following the emergency landing.
The most serious details surrounding the incident — including the reported stabbing and exactly how the aircraft entered the steep descent — remain unconfirmed. Investigators are expected to examine cockpit events, flight-data recordings, communications and the actions of both pilots to determine what happened.
