Flydubai Flight 1073
2026 aviation incident in Saudi Arabia
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Flydubai Flight 1073 (FZ1073/FDB1073) was a scheduled international passenger of flight operated by Flydubai from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport. On 30 September 2026, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 broadcast a general emergency code followed by a hijack squawk code, diverted from its flight path, and landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The incident prompted the Israeli Air Force to scramble fighter jets. Israeli officials initially stated that it was a planned hijacking that was prevented.
- Saudi Arabian airspace, near the Jordanian border; landed in Tabuk
A Boeing 737 MAX 8, similar to the aircraft involved | |
| Occurrence | |
|---|---|
| Date | 30 September 2026 |
| Summary | In-flight emergency, diverted |
| Site |
|
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Boeing 737 MAX 8 |
| Operator | Flydubai |
| IATA flight No. | FZ1073 |
| ICAO flight No. | FDB1073 |
| Call sign | SKYDUBAI 1073 |
| Registration | A6-FKF |
| Flight origin | Dubai International Airport, Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Destination | Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Occupants | 180 |
| Passengers | 174 |
| Crew | 6 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 1+ |
| Survivors | 180 |
Incident
The aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 with the registration A6-FKF, departed from Dubai at 7:05 a.m. (GST) carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children.[1] While flying near the border between Saudi Arabia and Jordan, the aircraft's transponder broadcast squawk code 7700, indicating a general emergency, and shortly thereafter broadcast code 7500, which designates "unlawful interference" or a hijacking.[2] The aircraft turned back into Saudi Arabian airspace; according to public flight tracking data, it rapidly descended from an altitude of approximately 34,000 feet to 17,000 feet in less than a minute.[3][4] Israeli authorities were briefly unable to establish contact with the flight. Communication was restored shortly after, and the plane landed safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, in northwestern Saudi Arabia.[3][2]
Based on initial assessments, videos, and eyewitness accounts from passengers, it appears that a fight broke out between the two pilots. The first officer stabbed the captain and allegedly attempted to crash or hijack the aircraft. Israeli passengers managed to overpower and restrain him, while a group of off-duty pilots who happened to be on board successfully landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia.[5]
Pictures of the plane taken after landing showed that its rudder was significantly damaged.[5]
Reactions
Upon receiving the code indicating a hijacking, the Israeli Air Force scrambled fighter jets. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz held a security consultation, and IDF chief of staff Eyal Zamir held a situational assessment with the commander of the Air Force and other senior military officials.[1][2] Some Israeli sources said that there was no hijacking, and that the distress signals were likely triggered by a physical altercation between the pilots in the cockpit,[6][3] while others claimed it was an attempted terrorist attack.[7]
In an official statement, Flydubai confirmed that an "incident" had occurred during the flight, noting that the plane landed safely in Tabuk and that all passengers were secure. The airline added that further updates would be provided once verified details became available.[8][9] The company also announced it would send two replacement aircraft to Tabuk to fly the passengers to Israel.[10][11]