TEL AVIV — Sept. 30, 2026 — Passengers and crew members intervened aboard a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv after a copilot stabbed the captain and attempted to crash the aircraft, according to Israeli officials and reporting by The Associated Press and Reuters. The plane ultimately made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
The Boeing 737 Max 8 was carrying about 170 people when the midair emergency unfolded. Flight-tracking data cited by AP showed the aircraft rapidly descending from about 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in roughly a minute.
Passengers and crew entered the cockpit and subdued the alleged attacker, allowing other crew members to regain control. The aircraft later landed safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Both pilots were injured and required hospital treatment, according to the airport. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saudi authorities arrested the copilot. The motive remained unclear Wednesday, and authorities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were investigating the incident.
FlyDubai said the aircraft was secured by on-duty crew who diverted and landed it safely. The airline suspended flights to and from Israel while the incident is investigated.
AP reported that aviation experts described the recovery as remarkable given the aircraft’s steep descent and reported damage. Passengers from the flight later continued to Israel aboard another aircraft.
What remains unknown
Authorities had not publicly established a motive for the attack by Wednesday evening. Investigators were also examining how a weapon was brought aboard and the precise sequence of events in the cockpit. Zark News will update this report as verified information becomes available.
Sources: The Associated Press; Reuters; statements from FlyDubai and officials cited by the news agencies.
