Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv diverted to Saudi Arabia after in-flight incident
Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on September 30, 2026, after the aircraft transmitted emergency signals during the flight. The plane landed safely and all passengers were accounted for, according to the airline.
Reuters reported that the Boeing 737 sent a general emergency signal and later another signal indicating possible unlawful interference. The aircraft was flying toward Tel Aviv when it was diverted toward Saudi Arabia.
What happened during the flight
Flight-tracking data reported by Reuters showed that the aircraft descended by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before the first emergency signal.
An Israeli official told Reuters that the emergency signals followed a physical altercation between the pilots. The official account was not independently confirmed by the airline, which described the event only as an incident and said further updates would be provided when confirmed details became available.
Where the aircraft landed
The aircraft landed safely at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The airline confirmed that all passengers were safe and accounted for.
Israeli authorities initially treated the emergency signals as a potential security threat. The Israeli prime minister’s office later said the incident was not believed to have been a hijacking.
