Flydubai has suspended flights to and from Israel following an incident aboard flight FZ1073 on Wednesday, September 30, which forced the aircraft to divert to Saudi Arabia and land at Tabuk Airport.
The airline announced the temporary suspension in coordination with the relevant authorities while an investigation into the incident continues.
Flydubai confirmed the suspension in its latest statement saying the move would remain in place while the investigation continues.
“Following the incident involving flight FZ 1073 on 30 September, and in coordination with the relevant authorities, flydubai flights to and from Israel will be suspended while the investigation continues.”
The airline said the temporary suspension would allow authorities to continue their work and establish the facts surrounding the incident.
Flydubai also said it remains committed to supporting the investigation and maintaining safety standards across its network.
The airline is coordinating with government authorities, regulators and airport stakeholders and will review the suspension as more information becomes available.
He further apologised to passengers whose
travel plans were affected by the suspension.
What happened aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073?
Flight FZ1073, operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8 registered as A6-FKF, departed Dubai International Airport bound for Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.
The aircraft was carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children, according to reports.
Flydubai said an altercation occurred in the flight deck during the flight.
The airline confirmed that on-duty Flydubai crew members travelling on the flight secured the aircraft before diverting it to Tabuk Airport, where it landed safely.
“All passengers and crew are safe and accounted for,” Flydubai said.
The airline also deployed two replacement aircraft to Tabuk to relieve the passengers and crew.
At this stage, Flydubai said the underlying reasons and motives behind the incident remain unknown and are subject to a formal investigation.
It urged all parties to avoid premature speculation while authorities establish the facts.
Emergency codes tracked during the flight
According to data from flight-tracking website Flightradar24, the aircraft activated the 7700 emergency transponder code at around 8:28am Saudi time.
The 7700 code is a general emergency signal used by aircraft crews to alert air traffic control that the aircraft requires urgent assistance. The code itself does not identify the nature of the emergency.
Six minutes later, the aircraft transmitted the 7500 transponder code.
In aviation, 7500 indicates unlawful interference on board an aircraft and can be used in cases involving a hijacking or attempted unlawful seizure of the aircraft.
The aircraft later returned to transmitting the 7700 emergency code.
It briefly entered Jordanian airspace before deviating from its planned route and heading towards Saudi Arabia.
The aircraft subsequently landed at Tabuk Airport.
Flight-tracking data showed that the aircraft also experienced a steep descent, dropping more than 14,000 feet in around 30 seconds, according to Reuters, before regaining stability and continuing towards Tabuk.
Passengers describe intervention in the cockpit
Israeli passenger Yaniv later spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about what happened aboard the aircraft.
Netanyahu met passengers from the diverted Flydubai flight on Wednesday evening.
A video released by Netanyahu’s office showed the prime minister speaking with Yaniv, who reportedly described how passengers intervened after the captain was injured.
According to Yaniv, the captain opened the cockpit door despite suffering stab wounds before collapsing.
He said this allowed passengers to enter the cockpit and restrain the attacker.
Yaniv also said passengers intervened while the attacker was allegedly attempting to interfere with the aircraft’s systems.
He described pulling back the aircraft’s controls, which he said stopped the steep descent.
After passengers overpowered the attacker, another crew member reportedly took control of the aircraft.
Once the aircraft stabilised, passengers reportedly celebrated the safe landing by dancing, singing and applauding.
An Israeli doctor also provided first aid to the injured pilot.
Flydubai’s official statement confirmed that the aircraft was secured by crew members travelling on the flight and that it landed safely in Tabuk.
The airline has not publicly confirmed the specific sequence of events described by Yaniv.
What happened to the Flydubai aircraft?
A widely circulated photograph taken after the landing appeared to show damage to the aircraft’s tail, with part of the rudder apparently missing.
The rudder is a control surface mounted on the aircraft’s vertical tail. Pilots use it to control the aircraft’s movement around its vertical axis.
The extent and cause of the apparent damage have not been established in Flydubai’s public statements.
Authorities are expected to examine the aircraft as part of the investigation into the incident.
Who is the injured Flydubai captain?
According to Yedioth Ahronoth, the captain of Flydubai flight FZ1073 is Indian pilot Sumit Machhkar.
The newspaper reported that Machhkar has more than 15 years of experience in commercial aviation.
He joined Flydubai in June 2022 after spending around 11 years with Indian low-cost airline SpiceJet.
According to the newspaper, he has logged more than 9,750 flight hours on Boeing 737 aircraft, including the 737-800, 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9.
During his time with SpiceJet, he reportedly accumulated more than 9,500 flight hours, including more than 6,400 hours as a captain.
He also served as a training captain and carried out training and assessment duties for other pilots.
Indian Embassy confirms pilot is receiving treatment
The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said the Indian pilot injured aboard the Flydubai flight was receiving treatment at a hospital in Tabuk.
In a statement posted online, the embassy said:
“Our embassy in Riyadh and our consulate in Jeddah are following the health condition of Sumit Mashhar, the brave Indian pilot of the Flydubai flight that was diverted to Tabuk today.”
The embassy added that he “is receiving the necessary medical care at a hospital in the city of Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia.”
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