From Altercation to Terror Probe: How the Flydubai Cockpit Drama Escalated

What began as a reported pilot altercation is now being treated by Israel as a possible attempted terror attack

September 30, 2026

Israel now treating Flydubai cockpit incident as attempted terror attack

Both pilots were wounded and removed from the aircraft after it landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

Israeli officials have significantly escalated their assessment of Wednesday’s Flydubai cockpit emergency, saying growing evidence suggests one of the two pilots deliberately attacked his colleague and attempted to seize control of the aircraft with the intention of crashing it, with a terror motive now actively under investigation.

Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with roughly 150 to 180 people on board, transmitted emergency and hijack codes before diving sharply and diverting to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. What was initially described by Israeli officials as a “violent altercation” between the pilots has since hardened, according to Israeli broadcaster Channel 7 and other outlets, into a working assessment that the episode was an attempted act of terrorism.

A stabbing in the cockpit

According to accounts relayed by Israeli media, one pilot stabbed the other during the mid-flight struggle. A senior Israeli official told Channel 12 there were growing indications that the attacking pilot wanted to take control of the aircraft and deliberately crash it with passengers on board. Reports from Israeli and international outlets differ on the exact nationalities of the two pilots — some describing a Russian captain and a Ukrainian first officer, others an Emirati captain and an Omani co-pilot — and these details had not been officially confirmed as of this report. A statement from Tabuk airport authorities confirmed that both the pilot and first officer were wounded and were subsequently transferred to hospital.

Passengers stepped in

Multiple accounts describe passengers intervening as the plane lost altitude. According to one passenger’s account relayed by the Jerusalem Post, off-duty crew members or passengers, aided by others on the flight, rushed toward the cockpit and physically subdued the attacking pilot as the aircraft dived, allowing another qualified individual to regain control. “I shouted at them to run and take control of the plane,” one passenger recalled. A woman on board described hearing screams and said passengers believed at one point they might not survive.

Flydubai’s account

Flydubai confirmed that flight FZ1073 “experienced an incident” while en route from Dubai to Ben Gurion Airport, and said the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk with all passengers accounted for. According to Channel 12, the airline said the pilots were involved in a “scuffle” in the cockpit until one lost consciousness, and stated this was not being treated by the company as a safety incident tied to the aircraft itself. Flydubai said it would send a replacement aircraft to bring passengers on to Israel and has not commented publicly on a possible terror motive.

Investigation ongoing

An Israeli official said authorities remain uncertain about what the attacking pilot intended — whether to divert the plane, crash it into the ground, or carry out a larger-scale attack — and that the identity and motive of the individual involved have not yet been established. Both pilots were removed from the aircraft after it landed in Tabuk. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the situation was “under control” as authorities worked to bring the Israeli passengers home safely.

This remains a developing investigation, and key facts — including the pilots’ identities, nationalities and any confirmed motive — have not been officially verified.

For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.