Flydubai flight makes emergency landing in Tabuk after cockpit incident

A Flydubai flight en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv sparked widespread questions after issuing emergency signals and diverting to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

With both the captain and co-pilot injured and hospitalized, conflicting accounts emerged about what happened in the cockpit, ranging from reports of a dispute between the pilots, claims of an attempted crash, to suggestions of a possible terrorist attack. Israeli officials denied that the incident was a hijacking.

Emergency signals raise alarm

The aircraft, carrying around 174 passengers including 27 children, departed Dubai bound for Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.

About 90 minutes after takeoff, while flying over Jordanian airspace, the plane transmitted the emergency code "7700" before sending code "7500" minutes later, which indicates a possible unlawful interference with the aircraft.

Flight tracking data showed the plane abruptly changed course toward Saudi Arabia, descending sharply before continuing over Saudi territory and landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk.

The emergency signals triggered a state of alert in Israel, with two fighter jets dispatched to escort the plane. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz held urgent security consultations.

Initially, there were fears the plane had been hijacked, especially as contact with the captain was lost and an unlawful interference code was activated.

Reports of cockpit dispute

However, an Israeli official later clarified that the incident was not a hijacking but, according to the Israeli account, stemmed from a dispute between the pilots in the cockpit.

According to Israel's Channel 14, the co-pilot is Omani, while the captain is Emirati. Channel 12 cited an Israeli source saying authorities are investigating how the Omani pilot was authorized to fly to Israel as part of the crew.

In a new development, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper claimed the Omani co-pilot attempted to crash the plane, but the Emirati captain, with help from crew members, managed to restrain him.

Israeli media reported the dispute escalated into a physical altercation, with one pilot losing consciousness while the other regained control and diverted the flight to Saudi Arabia.

Reports indicated the incident was confined to the cockpit and no passengers were injured.

Sharp descent and altitude fluctuations

Navigation data, according to reports, showed the plane descended rapidly from over 30,000 feet to about 16,750 feet in a short period, with sharp altitude changes before stabilizing and heading to Saudi Arabia.

Captain and co-pilot injured

Tabuk Airport announced it received a distress call from the Flydubai flight requesting an emergency landing at 8:44 a.m.

The airport declared an emergency and mobilized teams upon receiving the call, noting that both the captain and co-pilot were injured and taken to hospital for medical care after the emergency landing.

Tabuk Airport also coordinated with Flydubai to provide a replacement aircraft for the passengers.

Flydubai: All passengers safe

Flydubai stated that all passengers were safe, describing the incident as an "accidental event" that led to the emergency landing in Tabuk. The airline said its teams were working with relevant authorities and would provide further details when available.

Meanwhile, Israeli sources initially raised other possibilities, including deliberate action or an attempt to seize control of the plane.

Israeli officials: Possible attack attempt

In another account, two Israeli officials and a source familiar with the matter said the incident on the Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv could have been an attempted terrorist attack.

The officials said preliminary investigations suggested suspicions about the motives behind the incident, without providing further details on the nature of the threat or any group involved, according to CNN.

A passenger on the flight described the moments during the incident, saying the crew responded quickly and calmly, taking precautionary measures to ensure everyone’s safety.

Israel denies hijacking claims

A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed rumors that the Flydubai plane had been hijacked or involved in a hijacking attempt.

The spokesperson confirmed, as reported by Reuters, that the Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv was not a hijacking.

He added that the situation was under control and steps were being taken to return Israeli passengers safely.

Investigations to determine the facts

Israeli media noted that the Saudi investigation could be decisive in clarifying what happened in the cockpit, as conflicting accounts persist about the incident, including reports of a dispute and altercation between the pilots, claims of an attempted crash, and the possibility of an attack, while officials have denied it was a hijacking.

So far, the exact events inside the cockpit remain unclear, with investigations ongoing into the circumstances of the incident.

Incident comes amid tense Israeli security climate

The Israeli media uproar over the incident comes at a sensitive time, as Netanyahu warned yesterday of possible attacks on Israel ahead of parliamentary elections next month.

In a recorded message from Tel Nof Airbase, Netanyahu said: "We have indications that we may be attacked before the elections."

Israel’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for October 27. Based on the results, a new Knesset will be formed, after which the leader of the party with the most seats will be tasked with forming a new government.

According to the latest polls, the current coalition led by Netanyahu’s Likud party is neck-and-neck with the unified opposition, with neither side holding a majority of 61 out of 120 Knesset seats needed to form a government.