Flydubai Flight to Tel Aviv Diverted After Pilot Dispute, Hijacking Signal Sent

A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, carrying 174 passengers on September 30, briefly transmitted emergency codes indicating a hijacking situation. The aircraft, en route to Ben Gurion Airport, initially sent code 7700 for general emergency, followed by code 7500, which signifies a hijacking. This occurred during the plane's descent and a turn. The flight then altered its course towards Saudi Arabia, prompting the scramble of fighter jets. Later reports suggested the "emergency" was triggered by a fight between the pilots. While media speculated one pilot was Russian and the other Ukrainian, this remains unconfirmed. Another version posits one pilot attempted suicide by crashing the plane, but was thwarted by the co-pilot, who, with passenger assistance, subdued him and landed the aircraft safely. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz initiated urgent consultations. Security officials initially stated there was no confirmed hijacking, only a distress signal, and expressed concern due to the inability to contact the crew. The aircraft briefly disappeared from flight tracking services before reappearing and landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. Israeli security agencies, including the IDF, Shin Bet, Mossad, National Security Council, and police, monitored the situation closely, preparing for all eventualities. The flight departed Dubai at 7:05 AM and was scheduled to land in Tel Aviv at 9:30 AM. After entering Jordanian airspace about 90 minutes after takeoff, the plane transmitted the distress codes and turned back into Saudi airspace, maneuvering at a low altitude before heading west within the kingdom. Upon arrival in Tabuk, both pilots were detained by Saudi authorities. Flydubai announced it would send a replacement aircraft to return the Israeli passengers to their home country.