Flydubai flight diverted to Saudi Arabia after cockpit attack

On Wednesday, September 30, 2026, Flydubai flight FZ1073, carrying 174 passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was forced to divert to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, following a violent altercation in the cockpit. The aircraft experienced a rapid loss of altitude, plunging over 17,000 feet in two minutes, after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain. Passengers and crew intervened, breaking into the cockpit to restrain the attacker, who Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identified as an Omani national.

Israeli officials have characterized the event as a severe security incident and an attempted terror attack, rather than a standard hijacking. The captain, identified as Indian national Smit Matsar, sustained serious stab wounds but is credited with resisting the assailant. All passengers on board were reported safe after the emergency landing.

Saudi authorities have taken the suspect into custody for interrogation. A replacement aircraft was dispatched by Flydubai to transport the passengers from Tabuk to Tel Aviv. The original Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft remains grounded in Saudi Arabia as authorities from Israel, Oman, and the UAE conduct a joint investigation into the motives behind the attack.