flydubai FZ1073: What happened on board and what we know so far

Dubai: A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after what the UAE aviation regulator described as a security incident on board, leaving members of the flight crew injured and triggering an emergency landing in Tabuk.

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Flight FZ1073, which departed Dubai International Airport for Ben Gurion International Airport, landed safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport after transmitting emergency codes during the flight. All passengers were subsequently taken to Tel Aviv on an alternative aircraft.

flydubai has confirmed that an altercation occurred in the flight deck, but has not publicly confirmed the more detailed accounts surrounding the incident. The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said its investigators, working with relevant authorities, are examining the operational and security aspects of what happened.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said one pilot stabbed the other and attempted to crash the aircraft. That account has not been independently established by the UAE authorities, and flydubai has urged against speculation while the formal investigation continues.

What happened?

FZ1073 departed Dubai at 7.05 AM (UAE time) on September 30, bound for Tel Aviv. According to Flightradar24 flight-tracking data, the aircraft climbed to about 34,000 feet.

At around 9:21 AM, the aircraft began a pronounced descent, followed by a sharp climb and another steep descent. By about 9:33 AM, it was flying at approximately 15,000 feet.

The flight subsequently transmitted the international emergency transponder code 7700, used to indicate a general emergency.

A few minutes later, the aircraft transmitted 7500, the internationally recognised code for unlawful interference.

Flightradar24 said the aircraft then turned west, briefly entered Jordanian airspace and subsequently turned back towards Saudi Arabia. As it approached Tabuk, the transponder returned to 7700.

The tracking data provides a picture of the aircraft’s movements, but does not by itself establish what was happening inside the cockpit.

Flight FZ1073 incident timeline

• 07:05 AM UAE Time — Dubai departure

  • FZ1073 leaves Dubai International Airport for Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.

  • The aircraft climbs to approximately 34,000 feet, according to Flightradar24.

• 09:21 AM UAE Time — Sudden descent

  • The aircraft begins a steep descent, followed by a sharp climb and another steep descent.

  • By approximately 09:33 AM UAE Time, it is flying at around 15,000 feet.

• 09:28 AM UAE Time — Emergency code

  • The aircraft transmits 7700, the international transponder code for a general emergency, while flying near the Saudi-Jordanian border.

• 09:35 AM UAE Time — Unlawful interference code

  • The transponder changes to 7500, the code used to indicate unlawful interference.

  • The aircraft turns west, briefly enters Jordanian airspace, and then turns back towards Saudi Arabia, according to FlightRadar24.com.

• 09:44 AM UAE Time — Distress call

  • Air traffic controllers at Tabuk receive a distress call from FZ1073 requesting an emergency landing.

    (This corresponds to 08:44 AM local Saudi time).

• 10:45 AM UAE Time — Emergency landing

  • The aircraft lands safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, according to the airport’s statement.

  • The airport said the captain and first officer had sustained injuries and were transferred to hospital for medical treatment.

• 10:58 AM UAE Time — Tracking ends

  • Flightradar24 received the aircraft’s final tracking signal at Tabuk airport.

• 06:40 PM UAE Time — Passengers depart

  • According to the Tabuk airport statement, all passengers subsequently departed on an alternative aircraft provided by the carrier.

    (This corresponds to 05:40 PM local Saudi time).

What flydubai says

flydubai initially confirmed that FZ1073 had experienced an incident while en route and had landed safely in Tabuk. “All passengers are safe and accounted for,” the airline said, adding that its teams were working with the relevant authorities.

The airline subsequently provided more detail, saying:

“An altercation occurred in the flight deck of flight FZ 1073.”

flydubai said the aircraft was “successfully secured by on-duty flydubai crew travelling on the flight”, who diverted and landed it safely at Tabuk.

It said two replacement aircraft had been deployed to Tabuk to relieve the passengers and crew.

Importantly, the airline said the reasons and motives behind the incident were unknown at that stage and remained subject to a formal investigation.

“We urge all parties to refrain from premature speculation while authorities gather the facts,” flydubai said.

That distinction is important: the airline has confirmed a cockpit altercation and the diversion, but has not publicly confirmed the specific allegation that one pilot attempted to crash the aircraft.

What GCAA says

The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority described the incident as a security incident that was brought under control.

The GCAA said the incident necessitated the aircraft’s diversion and emergency landing in Tabuk and resulted in injuries to members of the crew.

“The safety and security of passengers and crew members remain its top priorities,” the authority said.

Its investigation teams, working with the relevant authorities, are examining the causes and circumstances of the incident, including operational and security aspects.

The GCAA also specifically urged the public not to circulate unofficial information or pre-empt the findings of the investigation.

What Israel says

Israeli officials have provided a more detailed account of the incident.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said one pilot stabbed the other and then attempted to crash the aircraft.

That account has been widely reported, but it remains an Israeli official account rather than a finding of the UAE investigation. There has been no public finding from the GCAA confirming that the incident constituted an attempted hijacking or that the motive was known.

Counsellor Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, Attorney-General of the UAE, has ordered the formation of an investigation team comprising specialised members of the Public Prosecution to investigate the incident involving flydubai flight FZ1073 on Wednesday.

Pilot injured

The injured captain was subsequently identified as Indian national Captain Smit Machchhar.

The Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia said Machchhar was in a stable condition.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the pilot’s actions, writing on X: “His valour helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy. India is proud of Captain Machchhar.”

The Indian diplomatic mission also said India’s ambassador to the UAE, Dr Deepak Mittal, and Consul General Dr E. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy met Machchhar’s family members.

They briefed the family on his health and recovery and said the Indian Embassy and Consulate were in contact with UAE authorities.

Passengers rescued

The passengers remained in Tabuk after the emergency landing while flydubai arranged replacement aircraft.

The airline said it had deployed two replacement aircraft to Tabuk.

The airport later confirmed that all passengers had departed at 5:40pm local time on an alternative aircraft provided by the airline.

Footage later showed a flydubai replacement flight arriving at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv at around 15:34 GMT.

The incident therefore ended with the passengers reaching their original destination, although only after the unscheduled diversion and several hours on the ground in Saudi Arabia.

Israel flights suspended

The incident has also had an immediate impact on UAE-Israel air links.

flydubai said that, in coordination with the relevant authorities, it would suspend flights to and from Israel while the investigation continues.

“The safety and wellbeing of our passengers, crew and operations remain our highest priority,” the airline said.

It added that the temporary suspension would allow authorities to continue their work and establish the facts surrounding the incident.

Emirates has separately suspended its codeshare operations with flydubai to and from Tel Aviv with immediate effect, until further notice.

The airline said passengers whose final destination is Tel Aviv would not be accepted for travel at their point of origin. Customers already en route would be accommodated and given support to complete their journeys.

For UAE travellers, this means anyone booked on an Emirates codeshare involving flydubai to Tel Aviv should check their booking before travelling and follow the latest instructions from the airline.

What remains unknown

Several key questions remain unanswered pending the investigation:

• What exactly triggered the altercation in the flight deck?

• Who initiated the physical confrontation?

• What caused the aircraft’s rapid changes in altitude?

• Why was transponder code 7500 activated?

• What happened inside the cockpit before the aircraft was diverted?

• What was the motive, if any, behind the incident?

• What security measures will follow from the investigation?

At this stage, the UAE authorities have not published findings on those questions.

flydubai has stressed that the underlying reasons and motives remain unknown, while the GCAA has warned against circulating unofficial information.

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