A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia after the pilots reportedly became involved in a physical altercation, according to an anonymous Israeli official who spoke to Reuters.
The flight, carrying 180 passengers, transmitted emergency signals while en route to Israel. It is not clear whether either pilot intentionally transmitted the signal. The Boeing 737 is said to have transmitted a second general emergency signal before landing at Tabuk airport in north-west Saudi Arabia.
Passengers report screams and blood
International news outlets reported that passengers were screaming during the incident, during which the plane is said to have plunged from around 34,000 feet to 14,400 feet. There have been unsubstantiated reports that a knife was spotted and one of the pilots was put to the floor.
One anonymous passenger told i24NEWS: “We heard screams and saw blood. There were moments when we thought we weren’t going to make it out alive.”
Airline confirms incident
An airline spokesperson told the news agency that the flight experienced an "incident" en route to Tel Aviv and diverted to Tabuk, where it landed safely. It was said to have been in Jordanian airspace at the time the signals from the cockpit were sent.
All passengers were safe and accounted for, added a spokesman for the Emirati government-owned airline that is based in Dubai.
Emergency response and investigation
It was initially feared that a hijacking had occurred on board after a second emergency signal was transmitted. Israeli authorities said that fighter jets had been scrambled upon receipt of the second emergency signal.
It is not clear what caused the fight between the pilots. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was briefed over the incident, his office confirmed.
In a statement, Mr Netanyahu’s office said: “Following concerns over an aviation incident, Prime Minister Netanyahu held consultations on the matter and is monitoring developments. The incident is under control, and all measures are currently being deployed in order to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel.”
Israel, currently embroiled in a conflict in Gaza and with Iran and in its proxies, has no official diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia.
