A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia today after an incident on board that reportedly involved one of the pilots being stabbed. Flight FZ1073, carrying around 180 passengers, including several Israeli nationals, was en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the incident occurred.
According to passenger accounts reported by Israeli media, passengers helped crew members restrain an attacker. An emergency signal, or squawk code 7700, was initially transmitted by the aircraft, followed briefly by code 7500, which indicates hijacking or unlawful interference. Media reports said, the Boeing 737 MAX made a sharp descent during the flight, dropping from around 34 thousand feet to approximately 17 thousand feet in less than a minute. Reports also indicate one pilot attempted to crash the aircraft.
Israeli Air Force fighter jets were reportedly scrambled to intercept the aircraft after Israeli authorities were unable to establish contact with it. The aircraft later re-established contact and landed safely at Tabuk Airport.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held consultations following concerns over the aviation incident and was monitoring developments. It said the incident was under control and that measures were being taken to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel.
Flydubai confirmed that Flight FZ1073 had experienced an incident while en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv. However, the exact circumstances surrounding the incident have not yet been confirmed by flydubai. The airline said the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk and that all passengers and crew were safe and accounted for.
Flydubai said it was working closely with the relevant authorities and was also sending another aircraft to Tabuk to transport the stranded passengers to Tel Aviv. The incident remains under investigation.
