Flydubai Flight to Tel Aviv Diverted After Cockpit Struggle

A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia in late September 2026 after a violent struggle in the cockpit. According to accounts from passengers and the airline, a pilot was stabbed during the incident, and the plane landed in Saudi Arabia instead of continuing to Israel. Two pilots were taken to hospital.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said a pilot tried to crash the plane. One account, attributed to a passenger's mother, said a pilot had been stabbed on the flight. Another report said an Indian-origin pilot stopped an Omani co-pilot from crashing the aircraft. Passengers described the plane suddenly plunging and chaos on board during roughly 80 minutes.

Flydubai confirmed an incident had occurred on the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight and that the plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia. The flight did not reach Tel Aviv.