Flight heading to Israel diverted to Saudi Arabia after fight between pilots

Israel-bound flight diverted to Saudi Arabia after brawl between pilots

A flight enroute to Israel from the United Arab Emirates was suddenly diverted to Saudi Arabia after transmitting emergency signals following a fight between the pilots.

The incident happened on Wednesday, said an Israeli official.

Flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted over Jordanian airspace towards Saudi Arabia, transmitting a general emergency signal and then another emergency signal that indicated possible unlawful interference several minutes later, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.

It is believed within the Israeli media, that the incident was an attempted terror attack.

According to Israeli media, the Boeing 737 plane, had around 150 Israeli passengers on board, then again transmitted the initial general emergency signal before later landing at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

The aircraft’s data appeared to show that it had suddenly and rapidly descended by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before the first emergency signal, Flightradar24 said.

The emergency signals triggered a major security response in Israel, which has no official diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia, where the plane landed. 

A spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister’s office, Doron Spielman told Reuters the incident was not believed to have been a hijacking, describing it as a “different incident”.

In a statement, the Israeli prime minister’s office said the situation was “under control” and that all measures were being taken to bring the Israeli passengers back to Israel.

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 said, without providing any further details.

The mother of a woman who was a passenger on the flight said her daughter Miriam, had told her that she had heard screaming and that a man holding a knife had forced one of the pilots onto the floor, and that there was blood everywhere.

A photo purportedly taken from inside the plane, which appeared to show a passenger’s blood-soaked shirt was published by Israeli media.

sIsraeli officials say diverted flydubai incident may be attempted ‘terror attack’

Flydubai operates daily return flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, a route that is popular among Israeli nationals. The flight path normally uses airspace over Saudi Arabia and Jordan.