The UAE Attorney-General has alleged that the Omani co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 launched a premeditated terrorist plot to seize the Boeing passenger aircraft and crash it into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. The Dubai-Tel Aviv service was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on 30 September 2026, after control of the aircraft was regained and it landed safely.
The co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with an emergency axe in the cockpit and attempted to take control of the aircraft. A return-flight captain and co-pilot, assisted by cabin crew and passengers, restored control before the diversion to Tabuk.
UAE investigators believe the suspect had used two earlier flights to Tel Aviv to familiarise himself with the route and Ben Gurion Airport before allegedly acting on his third flight. The investigation has not established the involvement of accomplices, with authorities continuing to examine the suspect’s motives, possible connections and physical and digital evidence.
Investigators also determined that the co-pilot had passed flydubai’s professional and security checks when hired, while the airline was unaware of his alleged intentions. The official account does not disclose the aircraft’s precise position when the assault began, or the full sequence by which control was restored.