New images of the FlyDubai aircraft at Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk airport have provided the first striking visual evidence of the violence the jet reportedly
experienced in the air. The images show apparent damage around the aircraft’s tail after FlyDubai flight FZ1073 made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia following a dramatic loss of altitude. The Boeing 737 MAX 8, flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv with more than 100 Israeli passengers on board, reportedly plunged by more than 14,000 feet in around 30 seconds before recovering and diverting to Tabuk. The aircraft later landed safely, but the condition of its tail has now become a key focus as investigators work to establish exactly what happened during the flight. The incident began with highly unusual flight data. According to the timeline provided by flight-tracking data, FZ1073 took off from Dubai at approximately 03:05 UTC. Around 05:21, significant altitude fluctuations began.
Flydubai plane landed with Broken tail in Tabuk Regional Airport, Saudi Arabia pic.twitter.com/iIaMdCwBNu
— OSINT Digest (@Indowatchosint) September 30, 2026
At approximately 05:22, the aircraft dropped more than 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds. The flight subsequently transmitted 7700, the international code for a general emergency, before changing its squawk to 7500, the code indicating unlawful interference.
Before #FZ1073 changed its squawk to 7700, we observed extreme fluctuations in the transmitted altitude data, with calculated vertical speeds ranging from approximately -30,000 to +10,000 ft/min.
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) September 30, 2026
For context, vertical speeds during normal operations rarely exceed ±4,000 ft/min.… pic.twitter.com/Zgyn0iQ33a
7500 and the Hijacking Scare
The 7500 signal triggered fears that the aircraft had been hijacked. The situation escalated rapidly. Israel reportedly scrambled fighter jets and raised its alert level, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an emergency security meeting involving senior defence officials.
The aircraft eventually changed course and headed towards Saudi Arabia, landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport, also known as Tabuk Airport, at around 06:45 UTC. Israeli officials later said the incident was not a conventional hijacking, but the investigation increasingly focused on an alleged violent confrontation inside the cockpit.
Pilot attacked as aircraft plunged
According to an Israeli official cited by The Jerusalem Post, authorities believe one pilot may have attempted to take control of the aircraft with the intention of crashing it. The official said investigators were examining whether the alleged attacker intended to crash the aircraft, divert it or carry out an attack resembling the September 11 attacks. The official also said that the precise motive remained unclear.
🚨🇮🇱 The TERRIFYING plunge of the FlyDubai flight...
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 30, 2026
A flight carrying 174 people, including 27 children, dropped 14,125 feet in just 29 seconds (!!) this AM.
The co-pilot allegedly forced the aircraft into a dive after attacking the captain, before passengers and crew… https://t.co/cA7mV6GypR
The source reported that additional crew members, assisted by Israeli passengers, managed to restrain the suspected attacker. Passengers described hearing screams and seeing blood after the cockpit was opened. One passenger told the Post that a pilot had been stabbed and that passengers seated near the front rushed towards the cockpit as the aircraft began its steep descent.
Another account said an Israeli dentist aboard the flight treated the wounded pilot. The Tabuk airport authorities confirmed that both the pilot and first officer were injured and later taken to hospital, although the airport statement did not specify how their injuries occurred.
Israeli security officials are reportedly examining the possibility that the incident was an intentional act of terrorism. Initial reports have also suggested that the suspected attacker may have been of Omani nationality, although that information remains part of the developing investigation.
The Israeli official cited by the Post said authorities were still trying to establish the identity and background of the pilot involved.
