A flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was unexpectedly diverted after a physical fight between the pilots, Israeli officials told local media.
The Flydubai flight diverted to Saudi Arabia after taking off from Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates early on Wednesday morning and signalling an emergency code two hours into the journey, flight tracking website Flightradar24 said.Minutes later it switched to a code used to report a hijacking, but was later turned back to the general emergency signal, the website reported.
Hijacking ruled out
The incident was not believed to have been a hijacking, the Israeli prime minister’s office said.Instead, the signal was thought to be issued following an altercation between the pilot and co-pilot, local media reported citing Israeli defence officials.The plane – carrying around 150 people, most of whom are Israeli – was due to land at Ben-Gurion Airport but instead landed at Tabuk Airport in northeastern Saudi Arabia.
Israeli fighter jets dispatched
The Flydubai flight diverted from its original route prompted a response from the Israeli air force, which dispatched fighter jets following the emergency signal.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also held urgent consultations on the incident.Source: BBC
Also read: Flydubai hijacking alert on flight from UAE to Israel
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