Pilot Altercation Forces Flight to Israel to Divert to Saudi Arabia
A flight from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), destined for Israel was forced to divert to Saudi Arabia after transmitting an emergency signal. Suspicions of a hijacking briefly surfaced before it was revealed that the emergency signal was triggered by a fight between pilots while the aircraft was airborne.
Data from the flight tracking website Flightradar24, as reported by Reuters on Wednesday (30/09/2026), shows that the FlyDubai flight, number FZ1073 from Dubai, was diverted while crossing Jordanian airspace towards Saudi Arabia.
The flight was detected sending a general emergency signal, and several minutes later, sent another emergency signal indicating potential unlawful interference. The Boeing 737 aircraft then sent another general emergency signal before landing at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office released a statement asserting that the incident is believed not to be a hijacking.
A spokesperson for FlyDubai stated that the flight experienced an “incident” en route to Tel Aviv and was diverted to Tabuk, where the aircraft landed safely. According to the spokesperson, all passengers are safe.
The cause of the emergency signal from the flight was revealed by an Israeli official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity. According to the official, the pilots sent the emergency signal after engaging in a physical fight with one another.
The trigger for the altercation has not yet been clearly identified. It is also not yet certain whether one of the pilots intentionally sent the emergency signal.
Three Israeli security officials speaking to Reuters stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held consultations regarding the flight. The Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Eilyaf Zamir, also conducted a “situation assessment” alongside the Air Force commander and other military officials, according to an Israeli military statement.
FlyDubai operates daily flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, a route popular among Israeli citizens. Notably, Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have official diplomatic relations.