Flydubai co‑pilot attempted hijack en route to Tel Aviv, aircraft lands in Saudi Arabia
Written by AI from 21 reports listed below. Not checked by a person before publication. How we use AI
An Omani co‑pilot on Flydubai Flight FZ1073 tried to seize the aircraft and crash it into Ben Gurion Airport; the captain opened the cockpit door, passengers subdued the attacker and the plane made an emergency landing in northern Saudi Arabia.
Incident on board
The aircraft then descended rapidly, losing more than 16,000 feet in about half a minute, and transmitted the unlawful‑interference transponder code 7500 before landing in northern Saudi Arabia.
Passenger and crew response
More than 170 passengers, mostly Israelis, were on board at the time of the attack and helped subdue the co‑pilot after the cockpit door was opened.
Co‑pilot background
He worked for Oman Air from 2020 to 2024, for Royal Air Maroc in early 2025, and joined Flydubai in January 2026.
He had previously taken two Flydubai flights to Ben Gurion Airport to become familiar with the route and airport before the attempted attack on his third flight.
Flight details
The flight, designated FZ1073, was scheduled to travel from Dubai to Tel Aviv on 30 September 2026.
What's still unclear
Sources differ on the exact date of the incident, reporting either 30 September 2026 or early October 2026.
Analysed 7 reports from 7 sources
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