A violent incident between two pilots caused a flydubai aircraft flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv to divert to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, sources told CNN.
An Israeli official said the incident was not a hijacking, and the plane has landed safely.
What Happened
Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was heading to Ben Gurion Airport when it descended from about 34,000 feet to around 16,600 feet in just over two minutes over northwestern Saudi Arabia, flight-tracking data reviewed by CNN shows.
The drop came at around 1:20 a.m. ET, and the plane's speed also fell sharply.
It transmitted an emergency signal at about 1:32 a.m. ET. Tracking data shows it sent the general emergency code 7700, briefly switched to 7500, the code for unlawful interference, and then went back to 7700.
Israel's Response
The signals prompted a security response in Israel. The Israeli military said fighter jets were scrambled after the emergency signal was sent, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence officials held a security consultation.
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His office said the situation was "under control" and that all measures were being taken to return the Israeli passengers home.
Airline Statement
Flydubai confirmed that the flight experienced an incident while en route and landed safely at Tabuk Airport, with all passengers safe and accounted for.
The airline said it was working closely with the relevant authorities and would issue further updates as confirmed details become available. It has not said what the incident was or commented on the reports about the pilots.
Passenger numbers vary in reports, from over 100 to around 180, mostly Israelis.
Why It Matters Beyond The Cockpit
The landing also brought a rare mass arrival of Israelis to a country with no diplomatic relations with Israel.
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Riyadh unilaterally allowed Israeli flights to use its airspace in 2022, a step that shortened routes to Asia after years in which such flights had to take long detours.
What Is Still Unclear?
The cause of the alleged clash in the cockpit, and the condition of the two pilots, have not been officially confirmed. An aviation authority official has told CNN the facts cannot be established with complete certainty until the aircraft is checked.
The Jerusalem Post reported that flydubai would send another aircraft to bring passengers on to Tel Aviv.
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