Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv diverted to Saudi Arabia after pilots' altercation
A Flydubai aircraft en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced to land in Saudi Arabia after a reported violent incident between two pilots, with all passengers reported safe.
A Flydubai flight traveling from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport was diverted to Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia after an onboard incident involving two pilots. Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft descended rapidly from 34,000 to about 16,600 feet before transmitting an emergency signal early Wednesday morning.
Flydubai confirmed the aircraft experienced an incident while en route and that all passengers were safe and accounted for. The airline said its teams were cooperating with the relevant authorities and would provide further updates as more information became available.
Sources told CNN that a "violent incident" between the pilots prompted the diversion. The event marks a rare emergency landing of an Israel-bound flight in Saudi Arabia, a country that does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel.
Saudi airspace was opened to Israeli flights in 2022 as part of broader regional normalization efforts, allowing routes that previously required lengthy detours. Similar unexpected landings have occurred, including an Air Seychelles flight in 2023 and another Flydubai aircraft in Riyadh last year.
Israeli officials are considering sending a plane, either military or civilian, to repatriate the passengers who were stranded after the diversion.