Flydubai Flight Diverted to Saudi Arabia After Pilot Altercation, Israeli Officials Rule Out Hijacking

A Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to the Saudi Arabian city of Tabuk on Wednesday after an altercation between the pilots, triggering an initial security scare in Israel. Israeli officials later said the incident was not believed to be a hijacking.

The Boeing 737, operating as flight FZ1073, was carrying around 150 Israeli passengers when the incident occurred during its journey. The aircraft transmitted emergency signals, including one associated with possible unlawful interference, prompting concerns among Israeli authorities that the flight could have been taken over.

The aircraft subsequently changed course and landed safely at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. All passengers were reported to be accounted for after the emergency landing. According to Israeli officials cited in reports, the incident involved a physical confrontation between the captain and co-pilot. Three Israeli officials said the co-pilot was believed to have stabbed the captain during the altercation. Both pilots were subsequently taken to hospital for treatment.

The circumstances surrounding the confrontation remained under investigation, and officials had not established a definitive motive. Israeli authorities were also examining whether the incident could have been an attempted terror attack.

Flight-tracking data indicated that the aircraft experienced a rapid change in altitude during the incident. The plane reportedly descended by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before an emergency signal was transmitted. The sudden manoeuvre and emergency communication raised alarm among Israeli security authorities. Israeli fighter jets were reportedly scrambled as officials sought to establish what was happening aboard the aircraft and whether there was a threat to the passengers.

The situation changed after authorities received information indicating that the emergency was linked to an incident involving the pilots rather than an external takeover of the aircraft. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson said the flight was not believed to have been hijacked.

Flydubai confirmed that its aircraft had experienced an incident during the flight and was diverted to Tabuk. The airline said the aircraft landed safely and that all passengers were accounted for. The carrier did not immediately provide detailed information about the confrontation inside the cockpit.

The diversion was particularly notable because Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have formal diplomatic relations. The decision to land the aircraft in Saudi territory followed the emergency situation and allowed the passengers and crew to disembark safely. Investigators are expected to examine the events inside the cockpit, the emergency signals transmitted by the aircraft and the actions of both pilots. Authorities are also assessing the circumstances behind the rapid descent and determining whether any security protocols were breached.