Emergency Signals Trigger Hijack Scare
TABUK, Saudi Arabia — Wednesday, September 30, 2026 — A Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after transmitting a series of emergency signals that briefly raised fears of a hijacking, flight-tracking data and Israeli officials said. The Boeing 737 later landed safely in the northwestern Saudi city of Tabuk with all 180 people on board unharmed.
The aircraft, operating as Flydubai flight FZ1073, departed Dubai International Airport bound for Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv when it squawked the internationally recognised general emergency code 7700 while flying over northern Saudi Arabia, according to Flightradar24. Minutes later it transmitted code 7500, the signal for unlawful interference, before reverting to the general emergency code and landing at Tabuk.
Flight-tracking data showed “extreme fluctuations” in the aircraft’s reported altitude, with the plane dropping drastically and rising again at speeds far beyond those seen on normal flights, Flightradar24 said. The timeline published by the tracking site placed the emergency about two and a half hours after takeoff.
Hijacking Ruled Out
Israeli authorities scrambled air force fighter jets toward the aircraft amid concerns over a possible hijacking, the Jerusalem Post reported. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency consultation with defence officials, three Israeli security officials told Reuters, and the Israeli military chief held a “situational assessment” with the air force commander.
Later on Wednesday, the prime minister’s office said the incident was not believed to be a hijacking. “The incident is under control, and all measures are currently being deployed in order to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel,” the office said in a statement.
An Israeli official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the two pilots had transmitted the emergency signals after getting into a physical altercation with each other in the cockpit. Israeli media, citing security officials, reported the diversion stemmed from a feud between the pilots. Passengers told Israel’s Channel 12 by phone that they heard shouting from the front of the plane and felt the aircraft dip steeply before it landed.
It was not immediately clear whether either pilot had intentionally activated the emergency codes, the official said. Saudi security forces surrounded the aircraft after it touched down, passengers said, and all passengers remained on board while authorities secured the scene.
Flydubai Responds
In a statement, Flydubai said the aircraft had “experienced an incident while en route” and that all passengers were safe and accounted for. “Our teams are working closely with the relevant authorities. Further updates will be issued as additional confirmed details become available,” an airline official told the Associated Press. Flydubai did not elaborate on the cause of the diversion.
Rare Landing on Saudi Soil
The episode marks an unusually rare landing of an Israel-bound commercial flight on Saudi soil. Saudi Arabia and Israel maintain no official diplomatic relations, and direct flights between the Gulf and Israel are a relatively new feature of regional skies.
Flydubai, the sister airline of long-haul carrier Emirates, has been one of the few international airlines to continue serving Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and the ensuing war in Gaza. The Dubai–Tel Aviv route is popular with Israeli travellers, and the carrier operates it daily, trade sources said.
Tabuk, a city in northwestern Saudi Arabia near the Jordanian border, hosts a civilian airport alongside a major military base, which was quickly mobilised as security forces ringed the diverted jet. The incident remains under investigation by the relevant aviation and security authorities.
