Miryam Shira Ohayon, a passenger on flydubai flight FZ 1073, claimed the co‑pilot tried to stab the captain and bring the aircraft down, forcing an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport at 9:45 am on June 15, 2024.
Israel’s far‑right national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, labeled the incident a “terrorist” attempt, demanding a full investigation into the crew’s conduct.
Flight data showed the aircraft plummeting from 34,000 feet to under 17,000 within a minute, while passengers reported a violent struggle in the cockpit and the co‑pilot’s knife‑wielding assault on the captain.
Passengers intervened, some grabbing the co‑pilot and others calling for help; a doctor on board administered first aid before both pilots were taken to hospital.
flydubai said all 128 passengers were safe and accounted for, and that the pilots, now wounded, were being treated at a Saudi hospital.
The Saudi civil aviation authority has launched an inquiry, and a preliminary hearing is slated for next month, while the Israeli military has kept jets on standby in case of further threats.