FlyDubai flight diverted to Saudi Arabia after mid-flight incident

The plane took off from Dubai at 5:05 a.m. (French time) and quickly reached a cruising altitude of around 10,360 meters. After a little more than two hours of flight, the aircraft began a steep descent followed by a rapid ascent, then a new descent, details Flightradar. At 7:28 a.m., the plane transmitted code 7700, an international transponder code signaling a general emergency situation on board an aircraft.

At 7:33 a.m., the plane stabilized its altitude of approximately 4,570 meters. “Its altitude oscillated around this value and its ground speed varied considerably during the rest of the flight,” Flightradar further indicates. Two minutes later, the aircraft issued a new emergency code, 7500, which corresponds to an illegal intervention on board, in particular a hijacking of the plane. After a brief incursion into Jordanian airspace, the aerial vehicle turned around to head towards Tabuk, in the northwest of Saudi Arabia, close to the Jordanian border.

As Israeli authorities were unable to establish contact with the aircraft during the incident, they dispatched air force planes to intercept it, fearing a hijacking. A hypothesis quickly ruled out, according to Israeli television channels 12 and KAN. The FlyDubai plane finally managed to reconnect with air traffic controllers at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

For the moment, neither the company nor the authorities of the countries concerned have given details on what really happened on board this flight. Dozens of media of different nationalities reported an altercation in the cockpit.

Clara Hidalgo, journalist at Le Figaro.

A plane bound for Tel Aviv had to land in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday following an “incident” in flight, according to the company FlyDubai, with Israeli media reporting an altercation between the pilots.

“Flight FZ 1073, connecting Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion International Airport on September 30, experienced an incident en route. The aircraft landed safely at Tabuk airport and all passengers are safe and sound,” said a spokesperson for the Emirati low-cost company in a statement.

Several Israeli media outlets reported a fight between the plane's pilot and co-pilot, during which the plane's distress signal was activated. The incident occurs in a tense context, in the midst of war in the Middle East.

The Israeli army took off fighter jets thinking it might be a hijacking by hijackers, a hypothesis quickly ruled out, according to Israeli television channels 12 and KAN.

According to the government, the situation is now “under control, and all necessary measures are being taken to allow the safe return of Israeli passengers.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in contact with several of his ministers during the incident and “continues to monitor the situation,” the government said in a statement. Neither the company nor the authorities of the countries involved have given details at this stage on what really happened on board this flight.