AMN / WEB DESK
A Flydubai passenger aircraft travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed safely at Tabuk Airport after an apparent fight involving members of the cockpit crew, according to Israeli media reports.
One of the pilots reportedly suffered multiple stab wounds during the incident. The exact circumstances of the confrontation, including what led to it and who was involved, were not immediately clear.
The Boeing 737 MAX reportedly experienced a sudden loss of altitude during the incident, dropping from about 34,000 feet to around 17,000 feet in less than a minute. The aircraft subsequently landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
Images of the aircraft after landing appeared to show damage to the rudder, the movable control surface located on the aircraft’s vertical tail. A section of the rudder appeared to be missing.
Arik Zer, a former Shin Bet official responsible for aviation security, told Israel’s Channel 12 that the damage was likely caused by the aircraft’s rapid descent rather than by an external object striking the plane. His assessment has not been independently established as the official cause of the damage.
Emergency code reportedly triggered
During the incident, the aircraft reportedly transmitted the international 7500 emergency code, which is used by pilots to indicate unlawful interference or a possible hijacking.
The transmission prompted Israeli authorities to take the situation seriously, with reports saying Israeli fighter jets were scrambled as the aircraft was approaching the region.
An Israeli official was quoted as saying that a “major disaster [was] averted.”
Passengers on board described moments of panic. In a video recorded shortly after the reported confrontation, a passenger, appearing to have blood on his face, said:
“We’re here during the hijacking of an airplane. At this point we’ve subdued the terrorists, we’re approaching landing. Whoever is hearing me, we need help.”
The passenger also said the aircraft was landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and added:
“On the plane, everybody is safe and sound, other than the pilot. We need help.”
It remains unclear from the available reports whether the passenger’s reference to a “hijacking” accurately described the incident or was his immediate understanding of the situation.
The aircraft’s safe landing avoided a potentially much more serious outcome, but authorities would need to establish through an investigation what happened inside the cockpit, why the aircraft made the sudden descent and how the reported damage to the tail occurred.