Flydubai pilot assaults co-pilot, tries to crash flight FZ1073, diverted Saudi
On Wednesday, September 30, 2026, a Flydubai pilot attacked his co‑pilot with a knife and tried to crash flight FZ1073 en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv over Jordanian airspace, according to passenger Miryam Shira Ohayon. She said the co‑pilot ‘tried to murder the pilot and basically carry out a suicide attack on the plane’ and that the aircraft was ‘pretty much out of control’ before passengers subdued him. A doctor gave first aid and others treated both men; aside from the pilot, there were no other injuries, but the imminent crash was the greater fear. The plane was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where another passenger with a head wound pleaded for help, saying they were descending into an unknown area. Ohayon’s mother, Yasmin Abukasis, told AFP her daughter was on the flight to attend a memorial for her brother killed in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack; she added that a woman entered the cockpit and saw ‘a lot of blood’ and that two other pilots took charge and redirected the jet to Saudi Arabia. The incident raises concerns about in‑flight security for international travellers, including Nigerians who frequently fly Gulf carriers. Passengers should stay alert, report any suspicious behaviour to crew immediately, and familiarise themselves with emergency procedures.