A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Saudi Arabia on September 30 after transmitting emergency signals. An Israeli official told Reuters that a physical altercation between the pilots triggered the incident.
The airline confirmed that Flight FZ1073 landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia and that all passengers were safe and accounted for. Flydubai described an onboard incident but did not confirm the alleged fight.
Emergency signals preceded the diversion
The Boeing 737 changed course toward Saudi Arabia while flying over Jordan, according to flight-tracking information cited in the Reuters report.
The aircraft first transmitted a general emergency signal, followed several minutes later by a signal indicating possible unlawful interference. It subsequently returned to the general emergency signal before landing in Tabuk.
An emergency transmission indicates an alert from the aircraft. By itself, it does not establish what happened on board or whether someone intentionally selected that signal.
Reuters reported that flight-tracking data appeared to show a sharp descent before the first alert. The reason for that apparent change in altitude had not been established in the reporting reviewed.
Israeli official alleges physical altercation
An Israeli official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, said the pilots transmitted the emergency signals after getting into a physical fight.
It was not immediately clear whether either pilot deliberately sent the alerts. The official’s account had not been publicly confirmed by Flydubai in the statement reviewed for this article.
Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister’s office, told Reuters that officials did not believe the event was a hijacking. He described it as a different type of incident without providing a detailed explanation.
Airline confirms passengers are safe
Flydubai said the aircraft experienced an incident while traveling from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion International Airport and diverted to Tabuk.
The carrier confirmed the safe landing and said its teams were coordinating with the relevant authorities. It said it would provide further information as confirmed details became available, according to Gulf News’ account of the airline statement.
Israeli media reported that around 150 Israeli passengers were on board. That figure describes the reported number of Israeli travelers and should not be treated as a confirmed total passenger count.
Passenger accounts remain unverified
Reuters interviewed a woman who said her daughter was aboard the aircraft and had described screaming and violence. That account was relayed through a relative rather than obtained directly from the passenger.
The news agency also noted that it could not immediately verify an image circulated by Israeli media that purportedly showed a passenger wearing a bloodstained shirt.
These reports do not independently establish who was involved, whether a weapon was present or what caused the aircraft to divert.
Israeli authorities work on passengers’ return
The Israeli prime minister’s office said the situation was under control and that authorities were taking steps to return Israeli passengers home.
The diversion placed those travelers in Saudi Arabia, which has no formal diplomatic relations with Israel. Flights between the United Arab Emirates and Israel have become an established travel link since the two countries normalized relations in 2020.
The airline’s statement confirmed the immediate outcome: a safe landing with all passengers accounted for. The cause of the onboard incident, the circumstances behind the emergency signals and arrangements for onward travel remained unresolved in the reporting reviewed.