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Pilots' Fight Triggers Hijack Scare on Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight, Diverted to Saudi Arabia
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Firstpost•30-09-2026, 13:19
Pilots' Fight Triggers Hijack Scare on Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight, Diverted to Saudi Arabia
- •A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, carrying 180 passengers, was diverted to Saudi Arabia after pilots reportedly got into a fight.
- •The aircraft initially transmitted squawk code 7700 (general emergency) before switching to 7500 (hijacking/unlawful interference).
- •The 7500 code triggered an immediate security response in Israel, including scrambling fighter jets and emergency consultations among senior officials.
- •The flight landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia, and Israeli security sources later ruled out a hijacking, attributing the incident to an altercation between pilots.
- •The precise circumstances of the cockpit scuffle and the transmission of emergency signals remain unclear.
Key Questions Answered
Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia after the pilots reportedly got into a physical altercation inside the cockpit, triggering emergency signals and fears of unlawful interference.
The aircraft initially transmitted squawk code 7700 for a general emergency, before switching to code 7500, which indicates a hijacking or unlawful interference.
The transmission of the hijacking code prompted an immediate security response, which included scrambling Israeli Air Force fighter jets and holding emergency consultations among senior Israeli officials.
