FlyDubai Pilots Fight Mid-Air, Forcing Emergency Landing in Saudi Arabia
A FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, flight FZ1073, made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on September 30 after a physical altercation broke out between the two pilots in the cockpit. The airline officially confirmed the incident, stating that one pilot lost consciousness during the fight. Israeli media, citing N12, reported that one of the pilots is from Russia and the other is from Ukraine, though this has not been officially commented on.
The flight initially transmitted emergency codes, first code 7700 indicating a general emergency, followed by code 7500, which is used to report a hijacking. FlyDubai clarified that there was no terrorist incident, but rather a fight between the pilots. The aircraft was diverted to Saudi Arabia, escorted by Israeli and then Saudi fighter jets before landing.
Approximately 100 Israeli passengers were on board. Following the landing, both pilots were removed from the aircraft. FlyDubai informed Israeli transport authorities that a replacement aircraft would be sent from Dubai to Saudi Arabia to collect the passengers and bring them to Israel. The cause of the altercation remains unknown.
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