Flydubai Flight Diverted to Saudi Arabia After Cockpit Incident

New Delhi : A Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a serious incident reportedly broke out inside the cockpit. The aircraft, operating as flight FZ1073 and carrying more than 150 Israeli passengers, landed safely at Tabuk Airport. All passengers were reported safe and accounted for.

The incident triggered concern after the aircraft transmitted emergency code 7700, followed by code 7500, which indicates unlawful interference. The aircraft later returned to the emergency code. Flight-tracking data showed that the Boeing 737 Max 8 made a sharp descent during the flight before changing course and landing in Saudi Arabia.

According to reports cited by the Associated Press, a fight apparently involving members of the cockpit crew broke out during the flight. A regional official said the circumstances behind the altercation were not immediately clear and that the crew was questioned as part of the investigation.

 

Several reports and passenger accounts have added further details, although authorities have yet to confirm all of them. Israeli media reported that one pilot may have been injured during the confrontation. A passenger reportedly described hearing screams and seeing blood inside the cockpit. Other passengers were said to have helped separate those involved.

 

The aircraft reportedly descended from around 33,000 feet to approximately 17,000 feet within a minute, according to FlightRadar24 data. It then made an unusual turn near the Jordanian border before proceeding to Tabuk.

Initial fears of a possible hijacking prompted heightened security measures, including the reported deployment of Israeli fighter aircraft. However, later reports said the hijacking theory had been dismissed. Other reports raised questions over whether the incident involved an attempt to take control of the aircraft or cause it to crash, but these claims remained unverified.

 

Israeli officials said the possibility of an attack was being examined, while the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was monitoring developments. The statements came amid heightened regional tensions.

Flydubai said the aircraft landed safely and that all passengers were accounted for. The airline was also arranging another aircraft to take the stranded passengers from Tabuk to Tel Aviv.

The investigation is continuing, and officials are expected to establish what happened inside the cockpit, why the aircraft made its sudden descent and whether anyone attempted to interfere with the flight controls.

Flydubai, a low-cost sister carrier of Emirates, operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet. The UAE and Israel have maintained commercial air links since diplomatic relations were normalised in 2020.