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A flight bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates diverted to Saudi Arabia today after transmitting an emergency signal.
An airline spokesperson said the Flydubai flight experienced an incident en route to Tel Aviv and diverted to Tabuk, where it landed safely. All passengers were safe and accounted for, the spokesperson added, without providing further details.
Flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted over Jordanian airspace towards Saudi Arabia, transmitting a general emergency signal and, several minutes later, a code indicating possible unlawful interference, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.
The Boeing 737 then re-transmitted the initial general emergency signal before landing at Tabuk airport in north-western Saudi Arabia, the platform reported.
Flightradar24 data indicated the aircraft had rapidly descended by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before broadcasting the first emergency signal.
The alerts triggered a major security response in Israel, which maintains no official diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia, where the plane landed.
Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, told Reuters the incident was not believed to be a hijacking, describing it as a "different incident".
Pilot altercation reported
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the pilots transmitted the emergency signals after getting into a physical altercation with each other.
It was not immediately clear if either pilot had intentionally transmitted the emergency codes.
Yasmin Abu Kasis said her daughter Miriam, a passenger on board, told her she heard screaming and saw a man holding a knife force one of the pilots to the floor, adding that there was blood everywhere.
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