Israel bound flight diverts to Saudi Arabia after pilots fight in cockpit
An Israel bound flight reportedly had to be diverted after a fight broke out between the pilots (Envato)
A FlyDubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday (30 September) after transmitting an emergency alert, triggering brief hijacking fears and prompting Israel to scramble jets.
The aircraft landed in Tabuk, described as a civilian and military base in Saudi Arabia. In a short statement, the airline said the flight had “landed safely after an incident during the journey”.
Unnamed Israeli officials have been speaking to Israeli media, one of those officials told Channel 12 “A very serious disaster was averted”.
The Jerusalem Post also quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying a “major disaster was narrowly avoided”.
How did a Dubai to Tel Aviv flight end up in Saudi Arabia?
The plane sent an emergency alert shortly after take-off, based on publicly available flight tracking information.
CBS News said an unnamed official confirmed Israel scrambled warplanes amid fears of a hijacking involving a plane believed to be carrying “dozens of its citizens”.
Reports of a hijacking also circulated elsewhere, but an unnamed Israeli security source told ABC News the incident was not a hijacking.
What do we know about the reported cockpit incident?
CBS News reported that Israeli media, citing security officials, alleged the incident was not a hijacking, but instead stemmed from a feud between the two pilots, and that everyone on board was safe. A regional official briefed on the incident separately told CBS that a fight broke out in the cockpit and apparently involved pilots.
An Israeli passenger on board the diverted flight told journalists that the crew asked passengers for help and that passengers and cabin crew tackled one of the pilots and had to help tie him down. Other passengers have reported that one the pilots was stabbed.
The New York Times also reported that Israeli officials said: “The plane was travelling from Dubai to Israel when the pilot and co-pilot appear to have gotten into a fight”.
Netanyahu’s office later said the situation was under control and Israel was working to bring the passengers home.
Flydubai (stylised flydubai) is a government-owned low-cost carrier based in Dubai, operating regional and medium-haul routes across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe. It operates from Dubai International Airport as part of Dubai’s broader aviation ecosystem alongside Emirates, and has expanded rapidly since launching in 2009.
