Flydubai 737 Diverts to Saudi Arabia After Flight-Deck Altercation

DUBAI — Flydubai (FZ) said a flight-deck altercation occurred aboard its Dubai–Tel Aviv flight FZ1073 on Wednesday, prompting a diversion to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. On-duty flydubai crew traveling aboard secured and landed the aircraft, the airline said. All passengers were safe and accounted for. The operator of Tabuk's airport said the Captain and First Officer were injured and taken to a hospital.

The aircraft was operating flight FZ1073 from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV). Flightradar24 identifies it as a Boeing 737-8 registered A6-FKF and records its diversion to Tabuk (TUU).

Cluster2 Airports said air traffic control at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport received a distress call at 08:44 local time, and the aircraft landed at 09:45. Passengers were assisted in the terminal. Flydubai later said it had deployed two replacement aircraft to Tabuk and that its other scheduled operations were unaffected.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said one pilot stabbed the other and apparently tried to crash the aircraft, according to the Associated Press. Separately, two unnamed Israeli officials told Reuters that Israel was assessing the event as a possible attempted terror attack by the copilot. Flydubai confirmed the altercation but said the reasons and motives remained unknown and subject to a formal investigation.

What the Flight Data Shows

Flightradar24 data cited by Reuters appeared to show a descent of nearly 14,000 feet (about 4,300m) in less than 30 seconds before the first emergency signal. The aircraft transmitted code 7700, a general emergency signal, then 7500, the code for possible unlawful interference, before returning to 7700 and landing at Tabuk. Reuters said it was unclear who transmitted the signals.

The US Federal Aviation Administration's emergency procedures identify 7500 as the transponder code for unlawful interference. The transmission records an alert; it does not by itself establish the sequence inside the cockpit or the motive for the incident.

The airline has not identified which individual flew the final approach. The pilots' current conditions, the lead investigating authority, and the passengers' onward itinerary also remain unconfirmed in the statements reviewed for this report.