Emergency Landing After Cockpit Altercation
Flydubai Flight Makes Emergency Landing After Cockpit Altercation and Altitude Drop
Anonymous
Flydubai flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 carrying about 180 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv, made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday after a cockpit altercation and a sharp loss of altitude; flight data reportedly showed the aircraft plunged thousands of meters. Israeli media reports allege the co-pilot stabbed the captain and may have tried to take control of or crash the plane, while passengers reportedly helped restrain him and a second pair of pilots aboard took over. The aircraft transmitted emergency and possible unlawful-interference codes, prompting Israeli fighter jets to scramble. Israeli authorities are reportedly investigating a possible terrorist motive, but accounts of the incident and its cause remain unconfirmed, and other explanations have not been ruled out. Flydubai said the aircraft landed safely and all passengers were accounted for; reports say the co-pilot was detained for questioning.
Key Points
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One passenger told Channel 12 that her husband rushed toward the cockpit after hearing someone shout “stabbing” and helped other passengers subdue the crew member; she described seeing “a lot of blood.”
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One report put the aircraft’s altitude loss at about 17,400 feet—from 34,000 feet to nearly 16,600—in around two minutes.
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Possible mental health issues had not been ruled out as an explanation, according to a report citing the investigation.
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The nationalities of the pilots remained unclear, according to the same report.
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