FlyDubai FZ1073 Hijack Scare: Pilot Fight, Knife Attack, Blood-Stained Passenger And Emergency Landing — What We Know So Far

New Delhi: What initially appeared to be a possible hijacking involving a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv FlyDubai flight turned out to be a far more unusual mid-air emergency after the aircraft was diverted to Saudi Arabia following a violent altercation between its pilots.

FlyDubai flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737-800/737 MAX aircraft travelling from Dubai International Airport to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, transmitted emergency codes during the flight on Wednesday, September 30, triggering a major security response in Israel.

The Israeli officials are treating the incident as potential terror attack, According to The Times Of Israel as cited by Channel 12 and Ynet reported that there is a growing assessment in Israel that the emergency on board the flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was an attempted terror attack, though it still can’t say so definitively.

The aircraft eventually landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, with all passengers and crew accounted for

Here is what is known about the incident so far.

How The Hijack Scare Began

According to flight-tracking data cited by Reuters, FZ1073 was flying towards Tel Aviv when it first transmitted the international emergency code 7700, indicating a general emergency.

Minutes later, the aircraft transmitted 7500, the transponder code associated with unlawful interference or a possible hijacking. The plane subsequently changed course towards Saudi Arabia before transmitting the general emergency code again.

Flight data showed the Boeing 737 making a dramatic descent. Reuters, citing Flightradar24, reported that the aircraft dropped by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before the emergency signal was transmitted.

The developments prompted Israeli authorities to initially treat the incident as a potential hijacking.

Israeli Fighter Jets Scrambled

The emergency transmission triggered a significant security response in Israel. According to Reuters and BBC, Israeli fighter jets were scrambled as authorities sought to establish what was happening aboard the aircraft.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also held urgent security consultations, while officials monitored the aircraft as it diverted towards Saudi Arabia.

According to Retuers, Israel's Prime Minister's Office later said the incident was not believed to have been a hijacking and that the situation was under contro

What Happened Inside The Cockpit?

According to an Israeli official cited by Reuters, the emergency signals were transmitted after the two pilots became involved in a physical altercation inside the cockpit.

Israeli media reports have provided more disturbing details about the confrontation. The Jerusalem Post reported that one pilot allegedly attacked the other with a knife, while passengers described hearing screams coming from the cockpit.

A passenger account cited by Reuters said a man holding a knife forced one of the pilots onto the floor, while another report described blood inside the aircraft.

The exact sequence of the confrontation, including who initiated the attack and what prompted it, remains under investigation.

Blood-Stained Passenger Images Circulate Online

Images and videos purportedly taken inside the aircraft have also circulated online following the incident.

One widely circulated image appears to show a passenger wearing a blood-stained shirt following the confrontation. Reuters said Israeli media had published the photograph but could not immediately independently verify the image.

Passenger accounts cited by Israeli media also described blood being visible during the struggle.

Passengers Helped Subdue The Attacker?

Accounts emerging from passengers suggest that some people seated near the front of the aircraft may have intervened during the confrontation.

According to The Jerusalem Post, passengers helped restrain the person involved in the cockpit struggle and assisted the other pilot in regaining control of the aircraft.

One passenger account cited by the publication described a terrifying scene involving a knife and said passengers feared the aircraft could crash.

These accounts remain subject to investigation, and authorities have yet to release a complete official reconstruction of what happened inside the cockpit.

Why Did The Plane Dive So Sharply?

Flight-tracking data provides one of the clearest indications of how serious the situation appeared from the outside.

According to Reuters, FZ1073 descended almost 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before transmitting the emergency signals. The sudden altitude change, followed by the 7500 code and a diversion towards Saudi Arabia, contributed to fears that the aircraft had been hijacked or was otherwise under unlawful control.

The aircraft eventually stabilized and continued towards Tabuk, where it landed safely.

Aircraft Lands Safely In Tabuk

FlyDubai confirmed that FZ1073 had “experienced an incident while en route” to Tel Aviv and was diverted to Tabuk.

The airline said the aircraft landed safely and that all passengers were safe and accounted for. It did not initially provide details about the nature of the incident.

According to reports, arrangements were subsequently made to bring Israeli passengers back to Israel.

The landing was particularly notable because Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have formal diplomatic relations, although the flight route normally passes through Saudi and Jordanian airspace.

Was It Really A Hijacking?

At this stage, Israeli officials have said the incident was not a hijacking. Instead, the emergency signals appear to have been triggered during the violent confrontation between the pilots.

However, several important questions remain unanswered, including why the fight began, why the 7500 code was transmitted, who activated the emergency signals and whether there was any deliberate attempt to take control of the aircraft.

Reports suggesting that one pilot may have attempted to deliberately crash the aircraft or harm passengers remain part of the developing investigation and have not been fully established.

Investigation Underway

The incident is now being examined by authorities in Saudi Arabia, Israel and the UAE, along with FlyDubai.

The identities of the pilots, the exact circumstances of the cockpit confrontation and the motive behind the alleged attack have not been fully established in official accounts.

For now, the confirmed outcome is that FZ1073 was diverted from Tel Aviv to Tabuk after transmitting emergency signals, landed safely, and all passengers and crew were accounted for. The more serious details surrounding the cockpit fight and alleged knife attack remain under investigation.