Tel Aviv-bound Flydubai flight diverted to Saudi Arabia after brawl between pilots: Israeli official
A flight bound for Israel from Dubai diverted to Saudi Arabia after transmitting emergency signals due to a fight between the pilots rather than a hijacking, an Israeli official said on Wednesday. Flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai diverted over Jordanian airspace towards Saudi Arabia, transmitting a general emergency signal before transmitting another emergency signal that indicates a possible…
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia after pilots engaged in a physical altercation, according to an Israeli official. The Boeing 737 transmitted emergency signals multiple times, initially indicating a general emergency and later suggesting possible unlawful interference. The plane landed safely at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, with all passengers reported safe.
The incident was not considered a hijacking, and Israeli authorities are working to bring the Israeli passengers back to Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the military chief held consultations to assess the situation, which his office described as "under control." This is not the first time a flight between Israel and the UAE has faced an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia; a similar incident occurred in September 2025 due to a medical emergency.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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