A FlyDubai plane flying to Tel Aviv sent a distress signal: there was a conflict on board between the pilots

A flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was unexpectedly diverted to Saudi Arabia after an argument between the pilots, Israeli officials told local media.

Flydubai flight FZ1073, carrying about 150 people, most of them Israelis, was scheduled to land at Ben Gurion Airport but instead landed at Tabuk Airport in northeastern Saudi Arabia.

Local media, citing Israeli Defense Ministry officials, said the alarm was apparently sounded after an argument between the pilot and co-pilot.

A plane that took off from Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates early Wednesday morning signaled an emergency two hours into the flight, Flightradar24 reported.

Passengers told local media they feared for their lives as the plane began to lose altitude during the incident.

The flight took off at 03:05 UTC (the same time as Greenwich Mean Time) with a 20-minute delay. According to Flightradar24, the plane rapidly descended over Saudi Arabia just after 05:21 UTC - more than 5,000 m in less than two minutes.

Alarm code 7700, meaning "general emergency", was sent at approximately 05:31 UTC. Flightradar24 later reported on X that another alarm was sent at 05:38 - 7500, meaning "unlawful interference" - although this is not shown on the site itself.

At 05:40, the aircraft briefly entered Jordanian airspace and a few minutes later returned to Saudi Arabia, where it began its descent to land.

At 06:11 the plane began descending again, apparently heading towards the city of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. Shortly thereafter, position data became temporarily unavailable until the aircraft reappeared at Tabuk Airport at 06:58.

According to the Israeli channel Channel 12, a conflict arose between the first and second pilots, which escalated into a fight, which continued until one of them lost consciousness.

One of the Israeli passengers on board told reporters that the crew asked for help, after which the passengers helped twist one of the pilots and tie him to the seat.

An unnamed passenger told the Jerusalem Post that one of the pilots was stabbed by another pilot, but passengers in the front of the plane helped force the attacker out of the cockpit.

According to him, there were two more pilots on board, in the rear of the plane. “I shouted at them to run and take control of the plane,” the passenger told the Jerusalem Post.

The passenger also reported that the injured pilot received emergency medical care from a dentist on board.

The BBC cannot yet independently confirm these reports.

A Flydubai spokesperson confirmed that the flight "had an in-flight incident" and that an update would be issued as more information became available. “Our specialists are working closely with the relevant authorities,” he added.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said the incident did not appear to be related to a hijacking.