A flydubai passenger flight traveling from the United Arab Emirates to Israel was forced to divert to Saudi Arabia on September 30, 2026, after transmitting emergency signals triggered by a physical altercation between the pilots. The Boeing 737 aircraft, which Israeli media said had around 150 Israeli passengers on board, plunged nearly 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds over Jordanian airspace before landing safely at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, according to flight data and officials.
Cockpit Altercation Prompts Rapid Descent and Diversion
The flight, designated as Flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, initiated its diversion after transmitting a general emergency signal followed by an unlawful interference signal several minutes later, flight-tracking website Flightradar24 reported. Flight data indicates the aircraft dropped nearly 14,000 feet within a 30-second window before issuing the initial distress call. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the pilots transmitted the emergency signals following a physical altercation with each other. It remains unclear whether either pilot intentionally broadcast the emergency codes.
Passenger Accounts and Israeli Security Response
The emergency transmission triggered a major security response in Israel, which maintains no official diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia. Yasmin Abu Kasis said her daughter Miriam, a passenger on the flight, reported hearing screaming and seeing a man holding a knife force one of the pilots to the floor, leaving blood everywhere. Israeli media outlets published a photograph purportedly taken inside the aircraft showing a blood-soaked shirt, though Reuters could not independently verify the image. Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister’s office, told Reuters that authorities did not believe the incident was a hijacking, characterizing it instead as a “different incident”.
Airline and Government Statements on Flight Safety
A flydubai airline spokesperson confirmed that Flight FZ1073 experienced an incident en route to Tel Aviv and landed safely in Tabuk, adding that all passengers were safe and accounted for without providing further operational details. The Israeli prime minister’s office issued a statement confirming that the situation was under control and that officials were taking all necessary measures to bring the Israeli passengers back to Israel. Flydubai operates daily return flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv across standard airspace routes over Jordan and Saudi Arabia. A prior emergency landing on the same route occurred in September 2025, when a flydubai flight diverted to Riyadh due to a medical incident.
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