Flydubai Flight Diverts to Saudi Arabia After Distress Signal, Israeli Jets Scrambled
Israeli officials say a physical altercation between the pilots prompted the emergency alert aboard a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight carrying around 180 passengers, as Netanyahu and Katz convene a security briefing
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — A flydubai passenger aircraft traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after issuing an emergency distress signal, prompting Israel to scramble fighter jets and convene an urgent security briefing, according to Israeli media reports.
The aircraft, operating as flight FZ1073 and carrying approximately 180 Israeli passengers, landed at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia after the incident, Israeli officials told Haaretz.
The officials said the distress signal was triggered by a physical altercation between the pilots.
Initial reports raised concerns about a possible hijacking after the aircraft transmitted an emergency code associated with unlawful interference. However, Israeli defense officials said the plane had not been hijacked.
According to flight-tracking information shared by Flightradar24, the aircraft initially transmitted code 7700, indicating a general emergency, before switching to code 7500, associated with unlawful interference, and subsequently reverting to 7700.
The flight-tracking service said it had not independently confirmed the nature of the incident.
Israel's air force dispatched fighter jets in response to the emergency, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz attended a security consultation to assess the situation.
The aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 delivered to flydubai in December 2022, was operating its first flight of the day on the Dubai-Tel Aviv route. Its previous recorded journey was from Doha, Qatar, to Dubai on Tuesday evening, according to FlightRadar24 data.
Tabuk Airport, where the aircraft landed, is located in northwestern Saudi Arabia and serves commercial aviation as well as military operations. It is also home to the Royal Saudi Air Force's Seventh Wing.
The incident comes amid heightened regional security sensitivities, particularly concerning air traffic and security arrangements across the Middle East.