Flydubai Pilot Arrested After 'Apparently' Trying to Crash Israel-Bound Plane, Says Netanyahu

September 30, 2026:

Flydubai Pilot Arrested After 'Apparently' Trying to Crash Israel-Bound Plane, Says Netanyahu

Passengers board a Flydubai flight, bound for Dubai, before taking off from Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on Sept. 30, 2026. —Jack Guez—Getty Images

The co-pilot of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has been arrested after seemingly attempting to crash the plane after stabbing the pilot, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday.

Passengers helped on-duty Flydubai crew, who were travelling on the flight, break into the cockpit and hold down the co-pilot, allowing the other pilots to safely land the plane in Saudi Arabia, according to Netanyahu. Saudi authorities will now interrogate ⁠the co-pilot of the flight in question, FZ1073.

“During the flight, as they were approaching Israel, one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot and, apparently, tried to crash the plane with its passengers on board,” Netanyahu said in a video statement released by his office.

“I spoke with one of the Israeli passengers, he told me that the plane went into a spin and began to descend,” Netanyahu continued. “He told me that, somehow, he managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members and, together, they overpowered the pilot who had carried out the stabbing.”

Flightradar24 data showed the aircraft plunged nearly 14,000 feet within 30 seconds during the incident.

Netanyahu praised the actions of those who intervened, calling them “heroes” who had “demonstrated extraordinary resourcefulness” and “saved many lives.”

Flydubai issued a statement confirming the aircraft had been “successfully secured by on-duty Flydubai crew travelling on the flight” and relaying that all passengers and crew are safe and accounted for.

“At this early stage, the underlying reasons and motives behind this event are unknown and remain subject to a formal investigation,” the airline added.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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