A Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a cockpit altercation triggered a distress signal, raising fears of a possible hijacking and prompting Israel to scramble fighter jets. The aircraft, Flydubai Flight FZ1073, touched down safely in Tabuk, and all passengers and crew were reported unharmed, according to officials.
A regional official said an altercation broke out in the cockpit involving the pilots, though the cause remains unclear. Israeli media cited security officials reporting a dispute between the two pilots as the reason for the emergency.
The incident prompted an immediate security response in Israel, where authorities initially feared the plane could have been hijacked. A second official confirmed that Israel scrambled fighter jets as the situation unfolded.
Israeli tourists leave a FlyDubai plane which departed from Ben-Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv and landed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Malak Harb)
Flight tracking data showed that the aircraft transmitted an emergency alert during the flight. Flydubai Flight FZ1073 had departed Dubai and was en route to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv before diverting to Tabuk.
Passengers described a tense scene as the emergency unfolded. Travelers told Israel’s Channel 12 by phone that they heard shouting from passengers near the front of the plane, apparently hearing the cockpit altercation, and that the aircraft dipped steeply before landing in Saudi Arabia.
After landing, passengers remained aboard the aircraft while a heavy Saudi security presence surrounded the plane, according to accounts relayed to Israeli media.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office later said the situation was under control and that Israeli authorities were working to bring the passengers home. The incident coincided with recent warnings by Netanyahu about heightened security threats facing Israel.
Flydubai confirmed that Flight FZ1073 experienced an incident while traveling to Ben Gurion Airport and landed safely in Tabuk. “Our teams are working closely with the relevant authorities,” the carrier said. “Further updates will be issued as additional confirmed details become available.”
The exact circumstances surrounding the reported cockpit confrontation remained unclear on Wednesday.
While disputes between pilots serious enough to affect a flight are rare, similar incidents have occurred. In 2022, two Air France pilots were suspended after fighting in the cockpit during a flight from Geneva to Paris; that aircraft did not divert and landed as scheduled.
The hijacking fears carried particular weight in Israel, where aviation security has long been shaped by a history of attacks on Israeli travelers and aircraft. Palestinian militants carried out a series of hijackings and attacks involving Israelis during the 1960s and 1970s. Israel has not experienced an aircraft hijacking in decades and maintains stringent security procedures for Israel‑bound flights.
Flydubai is a lower‑cost sister carrier of Emirates. Flights between Israel and the United Arab Emirates began after the two countries normalized relations in 2020, opening the UAE as a major destination for Israeli travelers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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