An altercation between the pilots of an Israel-bound flydubai flight triggered emergency signals on Wednesday, leading to a brief hijacking scare and the scrambling of Israeli fighter jets.
Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 carrying around 180 passengers, was heading towards Tel Aviv when it transmitted the emergency code ‘7700’, followed shortly by ‘7500’. While ‘7700’ indicates a general emergency, ‘7500’ is used to signal suspected unlawful interference with an aircraft, including a possible hijacking. The transmission alone, however, does not confirm that a hijacking has taken place.
According to reports, the aircraft entered Jordanian airspace before making a U-turn and heading back towards Saudi Arabia. Flight-tracking data also showed a sharp decline in altitude, with the aircraft reportedly losing around 17,400 feet within approximately two minutes.
A passenger, identified as Miriam, said she heard shouting coming from the cockpit. She reportedly saw one of the pilots injured when the cockpit door was opened.
The emergency signals prompted concern in Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holding an emergency meeting with the defence minister. Israeli airspace was also briefly closed. The Prime Minister’s Office later clarified that the incident was not a hijacking.
According to an Israeli official cited by Reuters, the emergency signals were transmitted after the pilots became involved in a physical altercation. The exact circumstances surrounding the incident, including how the emergency codes were activated, remain unclear.
The flight was eventually diverted to Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
Flydubai said all passengers were safe and accounted for. The airline is expected to send another aircraft to Saudi Arabia to transport the passengers back to Tel Aviv.