A Dubai-Israel flight made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after the pilots reportedly became involved in a fight inside the cockpit. The Flydubai service from Dubai to Tel Aviv issued emergency signals before being diverted to Saudi territory.
Flight FZ1073 first transmitted emergency code 7700 and later briefly sent code 7500, which is associated with a hijacking situation. Flight-tracking data showed that the aircraft was subsequently diverted from the planned route.
According to the supplied report, the aircraft was redirected from Jordanian airspace towards Saudi Arabia after the emergency signals were activated. It later landed at Tabuk Airport, where it was reportedly escorted by military aircraft.
More than 150 Israeli passengers were reportedly onboard the Dubai-Israel flight. The incident prompted immediate security measures and an investigation into what happened inside the cockpit during the journey.
A spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister said the incident was not a hijacking. However, a senior Israeli official said a potentially serious incident involving the Emirati airline had been prevented.
The official also said investigators were examining the actions of the co-pilot. According to the initial assessment cited in the report, there were indications that the co-pilot may have attempted to take control of the aircraft with the intention of crashing it.
Israeli media reported that the emergency signal was initially activated during an argument between the pilots in the cockpit. Investigators are expected to establish the circumstances behind the confrontation, the emergency codes and the aircraft’s diversion before determining what caused the incident.
