A Flydubai flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a serious incident occurred inside the aircraft, according to Israeli officials and Reuters.
Flight FZ1073 was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv when emergency signals were transmitted. Flight-tracking data showed that the aircraft suddenly lost a significant amount of altitude before changing course toward Saudi Arabia.
The aircraft, a Boeing 737, eventually landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Flydubai said all passengers were safe and accounted for after the emergency landing.
According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the co-pilot allegedly attacked the pilot and attempted to interfere with the aircraft's systems. Passengers and a crew member reportedly entered the cockpit and helped restrain the co-pilot while other pilots took control of the aircraft.
The alleged attacker was identified by an Israeli official as an Omani national and was arrested by Saudi authorities after the plane landed. Saudi officials are expected to investigate the incident.
Initial emergency signals briefly raised concerns that the aircraft could have been hijacked. However, the Israeli prime minister's office later said the incident was not believed to be a conventional hijacking.
Israeli officials described the incident as a suspected deliberate security attack, although the investigation is still ongoing and authorities have not released a complete account of what happened inside the cockpit.
The incident triggered a significant security response. Israeli fighter jets were reportedly scrambled after the aircraft transmitted an emergency signal associated with possible unlawful interference. The aircraft was eventually diverted to Tabuk, where it landed safely.
All passengers survived the incident. The event is now being investigated by the relevant authorities, while officials work to establish exactly what happened during the flight.
The incident has also attracted attention because the Dubai-Tel Aviv route normally passes through the region, making the safe diversion to Saudi Arabia an important part of the emergency response.