International
oi-Madhuri Adnal
Footage from inside the Flydubai aircraft has emerged showing the panic among passengers during the dramatic descent, with the plane reportedly dropping around 4,000 metres in a minute.
In one recording, a passenger can be heard calling for help and saying: “We’ve taken control of the terrorists. Anyone who can hear me, we need help.”
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Saudi Arabia after an alleged pilot brawl caused a rapid 4,000m descent, passenger panic, and emergency signals; Israel investigates the incident and its aviation agreement.
The circumstances behind the statement remain part of the ongoing investigation.
Yasmin Abukasis, whose daughter was travelling on the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, described the fear on board after speaking to her daughter by phone.
ΕΠΕΙΓΟΝ: Σοκαριστικό υλικό δείχνει πιλότο της Flydubai καλυμμένο με αίμα μετά από αναφορές ότι μαχαιρώθηκε από συγκυβερνήτη pic.twitter.com/fzkEiSsX1I
— Ο ΠΑΡΛΑΠΙΠΑΣ (@XRHSTOSFRIK) September 30, 2026
Her daughter told her that the aircraft had started to “lose control” during the incident, Abukasis told the Associated Press at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. “All the people, they scream, they think they are going,” Abukasis said.
She also said her daughter reported seeing a knife and “a lot of blood” during the incident. “It’s crazy,” she said.
🚨🚨🚨 Ölümle yaşam arasındaki saniyeler radara yansıdı!
Dubai-Tel Aviv seferini yapan Flydubai uçağında kokpitte pilotlar arasında yaşandığı öne sürülen kavga, uçakta büyük paniğe neden oldu.
İddialara göre olay sırasında uçağın kontrolünde ciddi sorun yaşanırken, radar… pic.twitter.com/sjJ4jJrnOy
— herdem_aviation (@muratherdemm) September 30, 2026
Israel wants aviation agreement examined
Israel’s Transport Minister Miri Regev has called for Dubai to be examined over a possible breach of its aviation agreement with Israel.
Under the agreement, only pilots from countries that have diplomatic relations with Israel are permitted to land in the country, according to the information provided.
The issue has come under scrutiny following the incident involving the Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
Second Flydubai flight diverted
A second Flydubai flight heading towards Tel Aviv was also diverted, according to FlightRadar24.
Flight FZ1081, which was travelling towards Tel Aviv, turned back towards Dubai, according to tracking data.
The development came shortly after the first Flydubai flight was diverted to Saudi Arabia.
First flight lands safely in Saudi Arabia
The first Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia after an incident during the journey.
An Israeli official told Reuters that the aircraft was diverted following a brawl between the pilots.
The incident initially raised fears of a possible hijacking after the aircraft transmitted an emergency signal indicating possible unlawful interference, according to Reuters, citing information from flight-tracking website Flightradar24.
Israeli authorities said fighter jets were scrambled at one point amid the initial concerns.
The exact cause of the confrontation between the pilots remains unclear.
The Boeing 737 also transmitted a second general emergency signal before landing at Tabuk.
Flydubai, the Dubai-based airline owned by the Emirati government, said the aircraft had “experienced an incident while en route” and had landed safely in Tabuk.
