A commercial flight from the United Arab Emirates to Israel was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a physical altercation between the pilots, an Israeli official said. The flight, operated by flydubai, had departed from Dubai and was headed to Tel Aviv when the incident occurred. The plane, a Boeing 737, had around 150 Israeli passengers on board.
According to flight-tracking website Flightradar24, the aircraft transmitted a general emergency signal and then another signal indicating possible unlawful interference over Jordanian airspace. The plane rapidly descended by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before the first emergency signal. The incident triggered a major security response in Israel, which has no official diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia.
The flight eventually landed at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where all passengers were safe and accounted for, according to an airline spokesperson. The incident was not believed to have been a hijacking, according to Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister's office, who described it as a "different incident".
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the pilots had gotten into a physical altercation with each other, leading to the transmission of emergency signals. It was not immediately clear if either pilot had intentionally transmitted the signals. The incident highlighted the potential risks on a route that has become popular among Israeli nationals since the UAE and Israel normalized ties six years ago.
Passengers on board reported hearing screaming and seeing a man holding a knife forcing one of the pilots onto the floor, with blood everywhere. Israeli media published a photo purportedly taken from inside the plane, which appeared to show a passenger's blood-soaked shirt. However, Reuters could not immediately verify the image.
In a statement, the Israeli prime minister's office said the situation was "under control" and that all measures were being taken to bring the Israeli passengers back to Israel. Flydubai operates daily return flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, a route that normally uses airspace over Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
This incident is not the first time a flight between Israel and the UAE has landed in Saudi Arabia. A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Riyadh in September 2025 due to a medical incident. The Israeli passengers were eventually repatriated, and an investigation into the incident is likely to follow.
Key points
- The flight diverted to Saudi Arabia due to a physical altercation between the pilots.
- The incident triggered a major security response in Israel.
- The flight path normally uses airspace over Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
