A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after briefly transmitting emergency signals, including one used to indicate a possible hijacking.
The aircraft later landed safely, and Israeli assessments say it was not a hijacking.
Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was heading to Ben Gurion Airport when it sent the general emergency squawk code 7700 and then briefly switched to 7500, the code for unlawful interference, according to flight-tracking data cited by Israeli media.
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UPDATE: The plane has landed safely in Saudi Arabia. The assessment in Israel is that the emergency signal on the plane was activated during a violent altercation between the pilots in the cockpit, and not due to a highjacking. https://t.co/Cz2W33I5qO
— Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران (@ariel_oseran) September 30, 2026
Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft descending to about 15,000 feet and making a sharp turn over northern Saudi Arabia.
The signals prompted an immediate security response in Israel. The Israeli Air Force raised its alert level and scrambled fighter jets, according to security sources cited by Reuters, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly held consultations.
Israeli journalist Ariel Oseran later said the assessment in Israel was that the alert was activated during a violent altercation between the pilots in the cockpit, and not because of a hijacking. The Times of Israel reported that a hijacking attempt had been ruled out.
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Flydubai has issued a statement on the incident, confirming that "flight FZ 1073 operating from Dubai International (DXB) to Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) on 30 September experienced an incident while en route".
Flydubai added that the concerned aircraft has landed safely in Tabuk (TUU) and all passengers are safe and accounted for, and that their teams are working closely with the relevant authorities. They also said that further updates will be issued as additional confirmed details become available, and that the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remains their highest priority.
A 7500 signal alone does not establish that a hijacking has taken place. Reports differ on the number of passengers, with Haaretz putting it at around 180, most of them Israelis. FZ1073 is a regularly scheduled service between the two cities.
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