Flydubai Passenger: 'Someone shouted 'Allahu Akbar' and rushed the pilot'

Passengers aboard a Flydubai flight diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday say they heard shouts of 'Allahu Akbar' during the incident. “There was a crew member who shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ and ran toward the pilot," she said. “A group of Israelis neutralized him."

Another passenger filmed himself after landing and described the scene inside the aircraft. “We have neutralized the terrorist. We need help," he said, with blood visible on his face.

Additional accounts from passengers and relatives described widespread panic after the incident began. One passenger said screams for help were heard as a man armed with a knife attempted to take control of the aircraft.

According to the account, the aircraft then began losing altitude amid severe turbulence. Fearing that the plane was about to crash, passengers began reciting “Shema Yisrael", the traditional prayer in Judaism if one believes death is imminent, and saying Psalms. Israeli passengers and crew members reportedly rushed toward the man, subdued him and restrained him on the floor of the aircraft.

Another passenger described the aftermath after the aircraft landed in Saudi Arabia. “There is a pilot here who is badly injured, and another terrorist tied up," he said. “He was tough. Everything is full of blood."

Flight FZ1073 was traveling from Dubai to Ben Gurion Airport when it transmitted an emergency signal while over the region. The aircraft subsequently diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed safely at Tabuk Airport. Flydubai confirmed that all passengers were safe and accounted for, while saying it was working with the relevant authorities and had not disclosed the nature of the incident.

The aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 registered as A6-FKF, initially transmitted transponder code 7700, indicating a general emergency. Flight-tracking data later showed a brief transmission of code 7500, which indicates unlawful interference, before the aircraft returned to 7700.

The signals initially raised fears of a possible hijacking and prompted an Israeli security response. However, Israeli officials later said the incident appeared to have resulted from an altercation between the pilots rather than a hijacking. The precise circumstances remain under investigation, and reports of an attack inside the cockpit have not been fully confirmed by the airline or Saudi authorities.