"Feud Between Pilots": Flydubai Dubai-Tel Aviv flight diverted to Saudi Arabia

Dubai: A FlyDubai aircraft travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a violent altercation between its two pilots triggered an emergency broadcast, briefly raising fears of a possible hijacking, according to reports.

Flight tracking data reviewed by CNN showed the Boeing 737 MAX, carrying more than 150 passengers, descended sharply from 34,000 feet to around 16,600 feet over northwestern Saudi Arabia in just over two minutes, before transmitting an internationally recognised emergency signal. The aircraft, identified as flight FZ1073, then changed course and headed toward Tabuk, a joint civilian-military airbase in the kingdom.

The emergency prompted Israel's prime minister and defence minister to hold a security consultation, while Israeli fighter jets were scrambled in response to the distress signal, CNN reported, citing a military spokesperson. An Israeli official quickly moved to rule out a hijacking, describing the episode instead as an internal personnel matter involving the flight crew. Israeli media, citing security officials, similarly attributed the incident to a feud between the two pilots and confirmed that everyone on board was safe.

The reported altercation between the pilots has not been independently confirmed by FlyDubai or aviation authorities. The aircraft is expected to land safely in Saudi Arabia, with authorities anticipated to investigate the full circumstances behind the mid-flight confrontation and subsequent diversion.