A Flydubai plane operating a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 changed course and landed at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia after an incident on board.
The two pilots got into a physical fight during the flight. The crew sent an emergency signal, which at first led to reports of a possible hijacking attempt.
The hijacking version was later ruled out. According to Israeli media, the signal was triggered by a conflict between crew members. Flydubai confirmed the incident but did not disclose details.
Landing in Saudi Arabia
Flight FZ1073 was heading from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. The aircraft then diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed in Tabuk.
There were 174 passengers on board, including 27 children. According to the airline, all passengers and crew are safe. The circumstances of the conflict between the pilots are still being established.
Some publications have offered additional versions of events, including reports that one of the pilots intended to crash the plane deliberately and that a knife was used. These claims have not been officially confirmed, so they cannot be treated as established.