Israel-bound flight diverted after fight between pilots
A flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was unexpectedly diverted to Saudi Arabia after a fight between the pilots, Israeli officials told local media.
An unexpected diversion occurred for a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv after a fight broke out between the pilots, according to Israeli officials reporting to local media. The Flydubai aircraft, bound for Tel Aviv, departed from Dubai International Airport early on Wednesday morning. Two hours into the journey, the plane signaled an emergency code, which was later changed to indicate a hijacking. The situation was subsequently downgraded back to a general emergency signal.
Flydubai Flight FZ1073, carrying approximately 150 passengers mostly Israeli citizens, experienced the incident. Instead of landing at Ben-Gurion Airport, the flight landed at Tabuk Airport in northeastern Saudi Arabia. A spokesperson for Flydubai confirmed that the flight "experienced an incident while en route" and that further updates would be provided as more information became available.
The Israeli air force responded to the incident by dispatching fighter jets. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened urgent consultations regarding the matter. In a statement, Netanyahu reassured the public that the situation is under control and that efforts are underway to return the Israeli passengers safely home from Saudi Arabia.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
