‘Terrorist’ on flydubai wanted to crash plane, kill Israelis on board, says Israel security minister

The flydubai incident in which a plane travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted and made a safe emergency landing in Saudi Arabia was a “terrorist” attack, claims Israel.

Flydubai flight FZ1073, en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv, diverted to Saudi Arabia while flying through Jordanian airspace. (AP Photo/)Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's security minister, said that “terrorist” wanted to crash Flydubai's FZ1073 plane to kill Israelis, according to AFP.

However, initially, Doron Spielman, who is a spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister's office, had told Reuters that the incident was not believed to have been a hijacking and described it as a “different incident”.

Earlier, two Israeli officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to brief reporters, said Israel's current assessment was that the incident was an attempted “terror attack” and was not related to any mental health issue involving either of the pilots.

Flydubai flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, diverted to Saudi Arabia while flying over Jordanian airspace. The aircraft transmitted a general emergency signal, followed by another emergency signal indicating possible unlawful interference, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.

The Boeing 737, which Israeli media reported was carrying around 150 Israeli passengers, then transmitted the initial general emergency signal again before eventually landing at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, according to Flightradar24.

The incident reportedly saw the aircraft descend from an altitude of around 34,000 feet to approximately 16,600 feet over northwestern Saudi Arabia in just over two minutes.

Initially, the incident was seen as a hijacking attempt but later a spokesperson from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated that there was no hijack scare.

A passenger on the plane spoke to reporters on speakerphone, with her mother holding the phone, and said that the co-pilot had tried to kill the pilot and carry out a suicide attack.

“The co-pilot tried to murder the pilot and basically carry out a suicide attack on the plane,” Miryam Shira Ohayon told reporters via speakerphone, with the phone held by her mother, who was waiting at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, according to AFP. Miryam was travelling to Israel to attend a memorial service for her brother, who was killed in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, her mother, Yasmin Abukasis, said.

“It was really on the way to crashing, and it was simply the resourcefulness of many people who took control of the co-pilot and neutralised him,” Miryam said.

Shubham Pandey works as Chief Content Producer at the Hindustan Times online desk, where he writes news articles, explainers, and features with a focus on audience engagement, traffic growth, and real-time storytelling. With over a decade of experience across journalism, digital newsrooms, and strategic communications, he brings a strong understanding of online journalism, particularly in leveraging SEO, search trends, and live blogs to drive sustained reader engagement. Previously, he led the sports team at Zee News English, strengthening editorial operations while delivering measurable growth in readership. His reporting experience includes assignments with Firstpost, where he covered sports with a strong narrative focus. Shubham has worked across both startups and large media organisations, including building a sports website from the ground up in a startup environment—demonstrating versatility and leadership. His stint as Senior Account Manager at Edelman India further expanded his expertise in strategic communications, brand storytelling, and reputation management. Across roles, he specialises in content planning, writing, and crafting credible narratives for diverse audiences. He has collaborated with former international cricketers Cheteshwar Pujara, Nick Knight, and Danny Morrison to create compelling, high-impact sports content, blending editorial depth with mass appeal. When he is not writing news or watching sports, he enjoys exploring films from around the world.Read More