A commercial Flydubai flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing at Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk airport after transmitting a series of emergency signals while flying over Saudi airspace.
The aircraft was carrying around 180 passengers.
According to flight-tracking data, the Flydubai aircraft initially transmitted emergency squawk codes 7600 or 7700, before later sending 7500—the international code indicating a hijacking or unlawful interference.
The alert prompted a security response, with Israeli fighter jets reportedly scrambled toward the aircraft. Hebrew-language media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the defence minister held an emergency consultation over the incident.
Israeli security sources said the emergency and unlawful-interference signals were triggered by a physical altercation between the pilots.
After the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said Netanyahu had held a consultation regarding the emergency landing.
“The situation is under control,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement, adding that arrangements were being made to ensure the safe return of Israeli passengers to Israel.
Israeli security officials said authorities would be able to establish a clearer picture of what happened after the aircraft landed.
No further details were immediately available.
COMMENTS