Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia after a cockpit confrontation left the aircraft briefly without active pilots, according to an eyewitness account published on Sunday. The incident, which unfolded on a scheduled Middle East passenger route, triggered a sharp loss of altitude before crew members on board regained control and landed the aircraft safely.
An Israeli businessman identified as Tal described seeing one injured pilot and another engaged in a fight, and told the Jerusalem Post that nobody was in the cockpit during part of the disturbance. He also said he urged two off-duty pilots seated nearby to move to the flight deck and help stabilise the aircraft. Reports from several outlets placed the emergency landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk.
Flydubai has already suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv while the incident is investigated. The episode has drawn scrutiny because it appears to involve a serious in-flight security breach as well as an operational emergency, although the precise sequence inside the cockpit remains under review.