Panic grips passengers on plane from Dubai after ‘pilots fight in cockpit’

A Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after emergency signals were transmitted following an alleged physical altercation between the pilots, an Israeli official said.

Flydubai Flight FZ1073 diverted towards Saudi Arabia while flying over Jordanian airspace after transmitting a general emergency signal, followed several minutes later by another signal indicating possible unlawful interference, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.

The Boeing 737, reportedly carrying about 150 Israeli passengers, later landed safely at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Flightradar24 data showed that the aircraft appeared to have suddenly descended by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before the first emergency signal was transmitted.

The emergency signals triggered a major security response in Israel, where authorities initially assessed the situation amid concerns over a possible security incident.

However, Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister’s office, told Reuters that the incident was not believed to have been a hijacking.

An airline spokesperson said the aircraft experienced an “incident” while travelling to Tel Aviv and was diverted to Tabuk, where it landed safely. The spokesperson added that all passengers were safe and accounted for, but did not provide further details.

An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the pilots had transmitted the emergency signals after getting into a physical altercation with each other.

It was not immediately clear whether either pilot intentionally transmitted the emergency signals.

A passenger’s relative, Yasmin Abu Kasis, said her daughter Miriam, who was on the flight, reported hearing screaming and seeing a man holding a knife force one of the pilots onto the floor.

“She had heard screaming and that a man holding a knife had forced one of the pilots onto the floor, and that there was blood everywhere,” Abu Kasis said.

Israeli media also published a photograph purportedly taken inside the aircraft which appeared to show a passenger’s blood-soaked shirt. Reuters said it could not immediately verify the image.

The Israeli prime minister’s office said the situation was “under control” and that measures were being taken to return the Israeli passengers to the country.

Flydubai operates daily return flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, with the route normally passing through Saudi Arabian and Jordanian airspace.

The incident comes as Saudi Arabia and Israel have no official diplomatic relations, making the diversion of an Israel-bound aircraft to the kingdom particularly notable.

A Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv also made an emergency landing in Riyadh in September 2025 following a medical incident, according to Israeli media.

(Reuters)