Israel-bound flight makes emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after 'pilot altercation'
Israel-bound flight makes emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after 'pilot altercation' Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 09/30/2026 - 08:12 Emergency signal initially triggers Israeli security response before officials rule out hijacking A Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 performs a display flight at Al-Maktoum International Airport during the Dubai Airshow 2025 in Dubai on 17 November 2025 (Giuseppe…
An Israel-bound Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after transmitting a hijacking alert. The flight, carrying 180 Israeli passengers from Dubai to Ben Gurion Airport, diverted to Tabuk, in north-western Saudi Arabia. Upon receiving the distress call, Israeli authorities immediately initiated emergency security meetings and dispatched fighter jets to investigate the potential hijacking.
However, Israeli officials later clarified that the signal was triggered due to an altercation between the pilots. The specifics of the pilots' conflict have not been disclosed at this time, but Israeli authorities anticipate a clearer understanding of the incident once the aircraft lands in Saudi Arabia.
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