‘We didn’t know if the pilot was alive’: Passenger recounts ordeal on FlyDubai flight 1073

A passenger aboard a Flydubai flight diverted to Saudi Arabia described a frightening descent and hours of uncertainty after the aircraft made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport on Wednesday.

“We are in Saudi Arabia following an emergency landing, after the plane plummeted from 30,000 feet to 15,000 feet in a single minute,” the passenger said. The reported altitude change has not been independently verified.

Flydubai flight FZ1073, traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, landed safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport after requesting an emergency landing, according to an airport statement. The airport said air traffic controllers received the distress call at 8:44 a.m. local time and the aircraft landed at 9:45 a.m.

The captain and co-pilot sustained injuries and were taken to hospital, the airport said. The statement did not explain the cause of their injuries or what prompted the emergency.

The passenger said travelers received no updates while aboard the aircraft, leaving them uncertain about the crew’s condition and whether Israeli authorities had been contacted.

Without cellular reception or internet access, passengers initially struggled to reach their families. According to the account, one traveler obtained a connection using an eSIM after landing and helped others purchase and activate their own.

The passenger said travelers were taken off the aircraft at 11:30 a.m. and were still waiting at around 2 p.m., with children sleeping on the floor.

“There are children here who have lived through a near-death experience, and now they have to sleep on the floor while waiting for a rescue flight to arrive,” the passenger said.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force has requested permission from Saudi authorities to evacuate the Israeli passengers stranded at Tabuk Airport, according to Israeli media reports. Three C-130 Hercules aircraft are reportedly ready to depart from Israel, but Saudi authorities have yet to approve the request.