A Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after an incident involving the pilots, initially triggering fears that the aircraft could have been hijacked. The Boeing 737 operating Flight FZ1073 eventually landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, with all passengers reported safe and accounted for.
According to an Israeli official cited by Reuters, the emergency signals were transmitted after the two pilots became involved in a physical altercation in the cockpit. The exact cause of the confrontation and details of what happened inside the cockpit remain under investigation. Flydubai has confirmed that the aircraft experienced an “incident” while travelling to Tel Aviv but has not released further details.
The situation initially caused serious concern because the aircraft transmitted an emergency signal associated with possible unlawful interference. Israel responded by scrambling fighter jets as authorities assessed the possibility of a hijacking. Israeli officials later said the incident was not believed to be a hijacking.
Flight-tracking data showed that the aircraft made a sharp descent before changing course and heading towards Saudi Arabia. After landing in Tabuk, the passengers remained safe while authorities began assessing the circumstances surrounding the incident. Investigators are expected to establish what happened in the cockpit and why the emergency signals were activated.
The unusual incident has drawn international attention because the Dubai–Tel Aviv route normally passes through regional airspace, while an Israel-bound commercial aircraft making an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia is relatively uncommon.
