Israel-bound passenger jet makes emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after pilot dispute
A FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a dispute broke out between the two pilots, briefly triggering Israeli fears of a hijacking, though all onboard were unharmed.
A commercial flight travelling from Dubai to Israel was forced into an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, briefly sparking concern over a possible hijacking.
Israeli media, citing security officials, reported that the incident stemmed from a dispute between the aircraft's two pilots, and that everyone aboard was safe. The plane came down in Tabuk, a combined civilian and military airbase in Saudi Arabia.
According to publicly available flight-tracking data, the FlyDubai aircraft transmitted an emergency alert. About two and a half hours after leaving Dubai, it dropped from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet within a single minute, then flew an erratic circular path near the Jordanian border before landing in Tabuk roughly an hour later, according to FlightRadar24.
A regional official briefed on the matter said a fight broke out in the cockpit, apparently involving the pilots, though the cause was not immediately clear. A second official confirmed that Israel had scrambled fighter jets over fears that a plane carrying dozens of Israeli citizens had been hijacked. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had in recent days warned of unspecified, heightened security threats. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as the investigation continues.
Netanyahu's office later said the situation was under control and that Israel was working to bring the passengers home.
Passengers told Israel's Channel 12 by phone that they heard shouting from people seated near the front of the cabin who had overheard the confrontation between the pilots, and that the plane dropped sharply before it landed in Saudi Arabia. They also said all passengers remained on board the aircraft, which was surrounded by a heavy presence of Saudi security forces.
FlyDubai later confirmed that flight FZ 1073, bound for Ben Gurion Airport, experienced an incident and landed safely in Tabuk on Wednesday. "Our teams are working closely with the relevant authorities," the carrier said, adding that further updates would follow as confirmed details emerged. Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft was a Boeing 737 Max 8.
Emergency landings caused by personnel disputes are rare but not unprecedented — in 2022, two Air France pilots were suspended after fighting in the cockpit during a Geneva-Paris flight, though that aircraft was not diverted and landed as scheduled.
