A flydubai Boeing 737 flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after an onboard incident reportedly involving a fight between the pilots triggered a series of emergency signals. The incident occurred on Flight FZ1073, which suddenly plunged nearly 14,000 feet before transmitting an emergency signal, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24.
The emergency signals initially sparked fears of a possible hijacking after the aircraft transmitted a code associated with unlawful interference. Flightradar24 data showed that the Boeing 737 dropped from almost 34,000 feet to below 17,000 feet, representing a loss of nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds. The sudden descent, followed by the emergency transmissions and diversion, triggered a security response in Israel.
An Israeli official said the incident was not believed to have been a hijacking and was instead linked to a physical altercation between the pilots. The aircraft subsequently transmitted another 7700 emergency signal before landing at Tabuk Airport. Israeli media, including Kan public broadcaster and Channel 12, reported that Israeli fighter jets were scrambled after fears that the aircraft might have been hijacked.
The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Prime Minister had held consultations over the incident and was monitoring developments. “The incident is under control, and all measures are currently being deployed to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel,” Netanyahu’s office said. Several Israeli media outlets reported that the emergency was triggered by a physical confrontation between the pilots.
The reports, citing anonymous sources, said the pilots became involved in a fight inside the aircraft and that passengers intervened to separate them. Israeli media also published photographs purportedly showing a passenger wearing a bloodied shirt following the altercation. Flydubai confirmed that Flight FZ1073 had experienced an “incident” while en route to Tel Aviv and subsequently diverted to Tabuk.
The airline said the aircraft landed safely and that all passengers were safe and accounted for. It did not disclose the nature of the incident or comment on reports of a fight between the pilots. The incident occurred on Wednesday, and the airline has not provided further details on the condition of the passengers or the crew.
The incident has raised concerns about air safety and the well-being of passengers and crew on commercial flights. Flydubai has not released a statement on the incident, but the airline has confirmed that an investigation is underway. The incident is under investigation, and authorities are working to determine the cause of the fight and the emergency signals transmitted by the aircraft.
Key points
- A fight between the pilots of a flydubai Boeing 737 triggered an emergency signal and a sudden loss of altitude.
- The aircraft plunged nearly 14,000 feet before landing safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- Israeli officials said the incident was not a hijacking, but a physical altercation between the pilots.
