Flydubai co-pilot attempted to crash plane into Tel Aviv airport

A co-pilot tried to crash a passenger plane into an airport in Israel on September 30, 2026. The man, from Oman, was flying for Flydubai from Dubai to Tel Aviv. During the flight, he attacked the captain with an emergency axe and tried to take control of the aircraft. Other crew members and passengers stopped him. The plane dropped 16,000 feet in just 30 seconds before the crew regained control. It was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where all 170 people on board were evacuated safely. Investigators found that the co-pilot had planned the attack before joining the airline. He had used two earlier flights to Tel Aviv to prepare. Prosecutors believe he was inspired by the September 11 attacks.