Flydubai plane reports emergency and diverts towards Saudi Arabia, Israel raises the alert

A Flydubai airliner (FZ 1073) flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv reported an emergency by briefly transmitting a code indicating a hijacking, descended to a suspicious altitude and diverted its course towards Saudi Arabia. This was reported by several Israeli media.

Two Israeli Air Force fighters were urgently scrambled. According to Ynet, there are 150 passengers on the flight.

According to flight tracking data, reported by FlightRadar and cited by the Times of Israel, the plane initially broadcast the transponder code 7700, an international emergency signal. Shortly after, however, it sent the code 7500, which indicates a hijacking or an act of unlawful interference. According to security sources, Israeli Air Force fighters were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. Israeli media reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz are convening an urgent security meeting. However, a security source stressed to Ynet that "there is no confirmed information on a hijacking; the pilot activated an emergency signal". Also according to Ynet, the flight should land in Saudi Arabia.