Video: Screams, panic as flydubai jet plunges during pilots' fight

A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv reportedly plunged 17,400 feet after a fight broke out between the pilots. The emergency alert prompted Israel to scramble fighter jets before the aircraft diverted safely to Tabuk.A viral video recorded inside the cabin captures the chaos and fear among passengers as the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight rapidly lost altitude following an mid-air altercation between the pilots in the cockpit. (Photo: X/@c14english)New Delhi,Sep 30, 2026 15:29 ISTScreams and cries of panic were heard inside a flydubai Dubai-Tel Aviv flight after a mid-air fight broke out between the pilots. A viral video from the cabin shows frightened passengers as the Boeing 737 MAX 8 makes a sharp descent after crossing into Jordanian airspace.Flight FZ1073, carrying around 180 passengers, transmitted emergency code 7700, indicating a general emergency, before briefly switching to 7500, the code for a possible hijacking. Israel scrambled fighter jets after the alert, while Saudi Arabia also responded as the aircraft changed course.Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft descending from about 34,000 feet to 16,600 feet, a drop of roughly 17,400 feet in just over two minutes. The plane subsequently turned towards Saudi Arabia and was diverted to Tabuk Airport, where it landed safely.A passenger, Miriam, said she heard screaming from the cockpit. When the door was opened, she saw one of the pilots injured, with "blood everywhere". Initial reports indicate the emergency signals were linked to a physical confrontation between the pilot and co-pilot. Israeli media reports, citing eyewitnesses, have offered differing accounts of what triggered the fight, including allegations that one pilot behaved erratically, threatened suicide or attempted to direct the aircraft towards the ground.Israeli journalist Amit Segal claimed that the captain was repeatedly stabbed during the confrontation, while other reports said passengers entered the cockpit and helped restrain one of the pilots. These details have not been independently confirmed. Israel said the incident was not a hijacking, describing it as an internal incident involving the flight crew. They are treating the incident as a full-fledged "terrorist attack".The flight's diversion to Tabuk was notable as Saudi Arabia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, making the landing of an Israel-bound flight carrying Israeli passengers in the kingdom an unusual occurrence.- Ends