Dubai, September 30, 2026: A Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv from Dubai diverted to Saudi Arabia after transmitting emergency signals following a physical altercation between the pilots, an Israeli official said on Wednesday.
Flydubai Flight FZ1073 was flying over Jordanian airspace toward Israel when it first transmitted a general emergency signal, followed several minutes later by another signal indicating possible unlawful interference, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.
The Boeing 737 subsequently transmitted another general emergency signal before landing safely at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, the website reported.
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the pilots had transmitted the emergency signals after getting into a physical fight. It was not immediately clear whether either pilot had intentionally activated the signals.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said the incident was under control and that authorities were working to ensure the safe return of Israeli passengers to Israel.
The office also said the incident was not believed to have involved a hijacking.
A Flydubai spokesperson confirmed that the flight had experienced an “incident” while 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 further details.
However, Yasmin Abu Kasis, whose daughter Miriam was aboard the aircraft, told Reuters that her daughter had heard screaming during the incident. She said her daughter reported that a man had taken a knife and put the pilot on the floor, with blood visible inside the aircraft.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held consultations following the incident, while military chief Eyal Zamir conducted a situational assessment with the air force commander and other senior military officials.
The incident comes against the backdrop of the sensitive nature of the Dubai-Tel Aviv route. Israel and Saudi Arabia do not have formal diplomatic relations, and Israeli authorities said they were arranging the passengers’ safe return.
Flydubai operates daily flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, a route frequently used by Israeli nationals.
It was not the first time a flight operating between the UAE and Israel had landed in Saudi Arabia. A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Riyadh in September 2025 following a medical emergency, according to Israeli media reports at the time.
