Netanyahu: Crew member saved flydubai plane, attacker pilot held in Saudi Arabia

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a crew member stabilized the flydubai plane after a pilot tried to crash it, and that Saudi authorities arrested and are questioning the attacker.

Hilal Times Editorial DeskSeptember 30, 2026, 07:23 PMUpdated: October 12, 2026, 06:52 PM

Netanyahu: Crew member saved flydubai plane, attacker pilot held in Saudi Arabia

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said one of the pilots of the flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv stabbed his colleague and tried to bring down the plane, most of whose passengers were Israelis, in what Israel describes as an attempted terror attack.

FZ1073 passengers at Tabuk Airport

Netanyahu said a passenger recounted how he and a crew member broke into the cockpit and overpowered the pilot who carried out the stabbing, while another crew member managed to stabilize the aircraft before it went down. He added that Saudi authorities had arrested the attacker and were questioning him.

Praising the crew and passengers, Netanyahu said: “I salute these heroes who showed exceptional skill and courage. They saved many lives and prevented a major disaster.” He also said he had instructed the security services to prepare for any possible further threats.

Tabuk Airport (file)

Flight FZ1073 landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia after squawking a hijack code, with no injuries reported among the passengers.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid accused the government of playing "cheap politics" at the expense of Israel's security after the incident. Lapid said nothing resembling Wednesday morning's plane incident, "not even a hint," had come up in the security briefing Netanyahu gave him on Tuesday evening, and called the government-aligned voices trying to exploit the incident politically "an irresponsible bunch."

Lapid's remarks followed Netanyahu's warning of an unspecified possible attack on Israel ahead of the Oct. 27 election. Israeli fighter jets were scrambled during the incident, while Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk said both the captain and the first officer were injured and taken to hospital for medical care.

Netanyahu: Crew member saved flydubai plane, attacker pilot held in Saudi Arabia

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a crew member stabilized the flydubai plane after a pilot tried to crash it, and that Saudi authorities arrested and are questioning the attacker.