TABUK, Saudi Arabia — New details have emerged regarding a terrifying security breach on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, when a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv narrowly averted catastrophe after the co-pilot allegedly launched a knife attack on the captain and attempted to crash the aircraft.

The harrowing incident onboard the Boeing 737 aircraft—carrying approximately 160 to 180 passengers, predominantly Israeli nationals—triggered international alarms, a dramatic mid-air plunge, and an unprecedented emergency diversion into Saudi Arabia.

A Sudden Plunge and Cockpit Struggle

The flight departed Dubai smoothly, but roughly two and a half hours into the journey—at approximately 8:44 a.m. local time while cruising over Jordanian airspace—a violent struggle erupted inside the cockpit.

According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and statements from passengers, the co-pilot turned on the captain, repeatedly stabbing him in an apparent suicide-and-hijack attempt.

As the fight broke out, the aircraft experienced a catastrophic loss of control. Flight tracking data and passenger accounts revealed that the Boeing 737 plummeted dramatically from a cruising altitude of 33,000 feet down to 17,000 feet—a staggering drop of 16,000 feet in just over 60 seconds.

“The plane was pretty much out of control,” passenger Miryam Shira Ohayon told reporters. “The co-pilot tried to murder the pilot and basically carry out a suicide attack on the plane.”

Heroic Intervention Averts Disaster

Despite suffering severe stab wounds, the captain managed a final act of incredible bravery: even while bleeding heavily, he reportedly managed to open the cockpit door so that help could get inside.

Hearing screams and realizing the grave danger, passengers and crew members rushed forward. Led by courageous travelers including Yitzhak Lieber, multiple passengers forced their way into the cockpit during the steep descent. Working alongside a flight crew member, they physically overpowered the attacker, tied him up, and neutralized the threat.

At the same time, a doctor traveling as a passenger rushed to the flight deck to administer emergency first aid. The medical professional worked frantically to stem the captain’s profuse bleeding, stabilizing his critical condition while the plane skirted the Jordanian border.

With the cockpit secured, two off-duty pilots who happened to be on board as passengers stepped forward to assist the remaining flight crew. Taking over the controls, they managed to stabilize the aircraft and broadcasted emergency distress signals indicating unlawful interference.

Emergency Landing and Aftermath

Fearing a major terrorist hijacking, the Israeli military briefly scrambled fighter jets as the aircraft changed course. However, the plane safely diverted across the border, landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, at approximately 9:45 a.m. local time.

Saudi authorities immediately boarded the aircraft, arresting the injured co-pilot. Both the severely wounded captain and the incapacitated co-pilot were rushed to a local hospital for urgent medical care. Viral video footage and photographs captured later showed passengers with blood-stained clothing assisting the wounded flight crew and pointing to the subdued attacker.

Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly lauded the “extraordinary bravery and resourcefulness” of the captain, the on-board medical professional, and the passengers who put their lives on the line.

Following diplomatic coordination, the shaken passengers were provided temporary local assistance before being flown back to Israel, arriving safely at Ben-Gurion Airport to emotional reunions with waiting families. Local security services in Israel and international authorities have launched a joint investigation into the motives behind the cockpit attack.