A Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv from Dubai made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia today amid reports of its two pilots engaging in a physical confrontation in the cockpit.
The Boeing 737, flying as Flight FZ1073, let out distress signals on its way to Israel and was diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, Reuters reported.
The aeroplane initially issued a generic distress signal, followed by a second signal suggesting possible unlawful interference – typically associated with a hijacking.
The event sparked a huge security response in Israel, with fighter jets being scrambled amid suspicions the plane had been hijacked.
But an Israeli official told our correspondent that the emergency signals were sent after the pilots got into a physical fight.
The plane then safely landed at Tabuk airport, and Flydubai said there had been a “incident” but that all the passengers were safe and well.
Flight-tracking data showed the plane had descended sharply during the incident before diverting to Saudi Arabia.
Passengers allegedly heard shouting from the cockpit during the incident, and Israeli media said one of the pilots may have been hurt.
Details of the confrontation are still being investigated.
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office said the situation was under control and that procedures were being taken to bring the passengers back to Israel.
The flight was a typical Flydubai Dubai-Tel Aviv route and was carrying roughly 150 passengers.
The emergency landing is quite unusual, as Saudi Arabia and Israel have no formal diplomatic connections.
The event happened against a backdrop of increased security concerns in the Middle East, where the protracted conflict has fuelled worries about aviation and regional security.
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