A flight en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia after its pilots engaged in a physical altercation, prompting emergency signals to be transmitted, according to an Israeli official.
The aircraft, Flydubai Flight FZ1073, was flying over Jordanian airspace when it issued a general emergency signal, followed minutes later by a signal indicating possible unlawful interference. The Boeing 737, reportedly carrying approximately 150 Israeli passengers, subsequently landed at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Flight-tracking data indicated a rapid, significant descent in altitude shortly before the first emergency signal was transmitted.
The incident triggered a substantial security response in Israel, given the absence of official diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia. The diversion highlights potential security risks associated with the increasingly popular route between the UAE and Israel, established following the normalization of ties six years ago.
A spokesperson for the prime minister's office stated that the incident was not considered a hijacking but described it as a "different incident." The airline confirmed the flight experienced an "incident" and diverted safely, assuring that all passengers were unharmed, without elaborating further.
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the pilots' physical altercation as the cause for the emergency signals, though it remained unclear if the signals were intentionally activated. One passenger's mother reported hearing screaming and witnessing a pilot being forced to the floor by an individual wielding a knife, with blood visible at the scene. Israeli media published an unverified image purportedly showing a blood-stained shirt from inside the aircraft.
The Israeli prime minister's office issued a statement asserting that the situation was "under control" and that measures were being implemented to facilitate the return of Israeli passengers. Flydubai maintains daily flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, utilizing airspace over Saudi Arabia and Jordan. This is not the first instance of a UAE-Israel flight landing in Saudi Arabia; a similar diversion occurred in September 2025 due to a medical emergency.
