Verdict: Misattributed. A viral video shared on Sept. 30, 2026 does not show passengers of FlyDubai flight FZ1073 celebrating after an alleged hijacking. The clip dates to August 2025 and was posted by Sport5, showing the Israeli men’s basketball team en route to EuroBasket. Reporting from The Guardian confirms the Sept. 30, 2026 diversion but does not link this archival footage to that event.
Fact Check: Viral Clip Claimed As FlyDubai FZ1073 After Hijacking Is Actually August 2025 Footage Of Israeli Basketball Team
Lead Stories says: 2025 Video
A viral Instagram post circulated on Sept. 30, 2026, purporting to show passengers of FlyDubai flight FZ1073 celebrating on board after an alleged hijacking. The claim is false: the celebratory footage predates the event and depicts members of the Israeli men's basketball delegation on a flight in August 2025.
The Claim: An Instagram post by @ssi_movement shared a short video alongside text saying that FlyDubai flight FZ1073 — which was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia after an alleged cockpit attack on Sept. 30, 2026 — landed safely and that passengers were filmed celebrating with a large speaker after subduing the attacker.
Image source: post by @ssi_movement on Instagram.
The Incident: Multiple news outlets, including The Guardian, reported that on Sept. 30, 2026 a co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to cause the aircraft to crash, prompting a hijack alert and diversion of the flight to Tabuk. Authorities said crew and passengers intervened and the plane landed safely. Those reports describe the aviation incident but do not link the celebratory clip to the event.
Why The Video Is Misattributed: The short clip showing a man carrying a large speaker and others celebrating was uploaded in August 2025 by Sport5 (an Israeli sports broadcaster) to its Facebook page alongside an article explaining the footage shows the Israeli men’s basketball team traveling to the EuroBasket tournament. The Sport5 post and article predate the Sept. 30, 2026 incident by more than a year, demonstrating the clip is archival and unrelated to the FlyDubai diversion.
Conclusion: The viral post that attached the 2025 celebratory clip to the Sept. 30, 2026 FlyDubai FZ1073 incident is misleading. The video is archival footage of the Israeli men’s basketball delegation from August 2025 and not evidence of passenger reaction following the reported cockpit attack.
Evidence and Sources
- Instagram post by @ssi_movement (shared Sept. 30, 2026) claiming the clip showed FZ1073 passengers.
- Reporting by The Guardian describing the alleged cockpit attack and the plane’s diversion to Tabuk on Sept. 30, 2026.
- Sport5 Facebook post and article from August 2025 identifying the clip as the Israeli men’s basketball team en route to EuroBasket.
Verdict: Misattributed. The celebratory in-flight video is from August 2025 and shows the Israeli men’s basketball team, not passengers from FlyDubai FZ1073 after the Sept. 30, 2026 incident.
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