Flydubai Hijack Scare: ‘We’ve Subdued The Terrorists, We Need Help,’ Passenger Says After Cockpit Fight

Tel Aviv: A dramatic video recorded moments after a violent incident aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv captured a bloodied passenger describing the chaos on board and appealing for help after the aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

“There was a hijacking. At this point we’ve subdued the terrorists. We’re approaching landing. Whoever is hearing me, we need help,” the passenger said in the video. He added that the aircraft was landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, an unfamiliar location for those on board.

“On the plane, everybody is safe and sound, other than the pilot. We need help,” he said.

The Flydubai flight, FZ1073, was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 people on board, including 27 children, when an emergency unfolded inside the cockpit. The aircraft ultimately landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Passenger Describes Moments of Terror

According to accounts from passengers, screams were heard before the cockpit was opened. One passenger, identified as Miriam, said she saw a large amount of blood and that a pilot had apparently been stabbed.

She said passengers and crew members helped subdue the alleged attacker before the aircraft made its emergency landing. “We felt like we were going to crash,” she told i24NEWS, adding that there were moments when passengers believed they would not survive.

Another video from inside the aircraft showed passengers attending to an injured pilot, while another crew member was seen restrained.

Emergency Alert Triggered Hijack Fears

The aircraft transmitted an emergency code indicating possible unlawful interference while flying towards Israel. The alert initially prompted Israeli authorities to treat the incident as a potential hijacking, with Israeli fighter jets scrambled towards the aircraft.

However, Flydubai later confirmed that the emergency signal was triggered by a fight between the pilots. The aircraft turned back towards Saudi Arabia before landing safely in Tabuk.

Israeli officials said the co-pilot, an Omani national, was suspected of attempting to crash the aircraft during the confrontation. He was reportedly subdued after a struggle involving the captain and passengers. Ynet reported that the captain was an Indian national.

Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft rapidly descending from around 34,000 feet to 14,000 feet during the incident. At one point, the aircraft showed an instantaneous descent rate of around 30,976 feet per minute.

Civilian Pilots Step in to Safely Land Flight

A severe disaster was averted when a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing at Tabuk airport, Saudi Arabia, due to an altercation between pilots. Two civilian-clothed pilots facilitated the landing after passengers intervened. 

Initially, the flight transmitted an emergency squawk code 7700, followed by code 7500, indicating unlawful interference. Israeli Air Force jets were sent to assist. The aircraft, with around 180 passengers, was tracked near Tabuk before landing. Israeli military officials assessed the incident as concerns grow over potential enemy attacks ahead of upcoming elections, warned by Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Flight Lands Safely in Tabuk

Flydubai said the aircraft had experienced an “inflight incident” and landed safely in Tabuk, adding that all passengers were safe and being looked after. The airline said it was cooperating with authorities investigating the incident.

The airline also said another aircraft would be sent from Dubai to Saudi Arabia to take the passengers onward to Israel. Israeli authorities, meanwhile, continued examining the circumstances surrounding the cockpit confrontation and the emergency landing.

The passenger's video, recorded immediately after the confrontation, offered a first-hand account of the confusion inside the aircraft, as those on board waited for help after what they initially believed was a hijacking.

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