Flydubai flight makes emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after pilot injuries

 A flydubai passenger flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after reporting an incident while en route, with both pilots sustaining injuries, according to Saudi and UAE authorities.

Flight FZ1073, operating from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion International Airport, requested an emergency landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk at 8:44am local time, the airport operator Cluster2 Airports said.

The airport activated its emergency response procedures and the aircraft landed safely at 9:45am, it said. The captain and first officer were found to have sustained injuries and were transferred to hospital for medical treatment.

Passengers were assisted at the terminal, while coordination was under way with flydubai to arrange a replacement aircraft, the Saudi airport operator said.

Flydubai separately confirmed that flight FZ1073 had experienced an “incident while en route” and landed safely at Tabuk, with all passengers safe and accounted for. The UAE-based carrier said it was working with the relevant authorities and would provide further updates as confirmed information became available.

The pilot and co-pilot were injured in the altercation on the flight deck. Crew members intervened to help land the plane safely at Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk Airport, reports said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "one of the pilots stabbed the second pilot and apparently tried to crash the plane with everyone on board".

He added in a statement that almost all the passengers on the flight were Israelis. One reported that "the plane went into a spin and began to dive", Netanyahu said. "He told me that, somehow or other, he managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members" and neutralise the attacker.

"Another flight crew on board entered the cockpit and managed to stabilise the plane," he added.

He added that the stabbing pilot was arrested and was being interrogated by the Saudi authorities. Israeli security services have been instructed to prepare for additional potential threats. "I salute the heroes on the flight from Dubai who demonstrated resourcefulness and courage.”

UAE GCAA statement

The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said flydubai flight FZ1073, operating from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion International Airport on September 30, 2026, experienced a security incident that was brought under control.

This necessitated the diversion of the aircraft and an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

"The incident resulted in injuries to some members of the aircraft crew, who were transported to a hospital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to receive the necessary medical care," it said.

The GCAA emphasised that the safety and security of passengers and crew members remained its top priorities.

The Authority’s investigation teams, in coordination with the relevant authorities, are continuing their work to determine the causes and circumstances of the incident, including a review of the operational and security aspects.

The GCAA urged everyone not to circulate any unofficial information or pre-empt the findings of the investigation. The public will be provided with the findings once they are issued, it said.

The Saudi airport said it remains committed to regulations and instructions issued by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation, as well as international agreements related to aviation safety and the safety of passengers and crew. It stated that the relevant authorities were conducting investigations into the incident.