&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Dubai-Tel Aviv flydubai flight declares emergency, diverted to Saudi Arabia; hijacking ruled out")
A flydubai Boeing 737 MAX operating from Dubai to Tel Aviv declared an emergency while flying over northern Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and diverted toward Saudi territory, according to flight-tracking data. The aircraft, identified as flydubai flight FZ1073, had been heading toward Israel when its flight path changed over northern Saudi Arabia. Tracking data showed the plane turning away from Tel Aviv and later heading toward Tabuk. The aircraft eventually landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia, according to The Times of Israel. Israeli security sources said that hijacking has been ruled out. Earlier reports said Israeli Air Force fighter jets had been scrambled toward the aircraft as authorities assessed the situation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz were also reported to have held emergency consultations. The aircraft was carrying around 180 passengers, according to reports.
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Flydubai plane emergency: What Flightradar24 data showed
Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft transmitting 7700, the internationally recognised transponder code for a general emergency. The tracking data also showed significant changes in the aircraft’s flight parameters before it turned around. The plane descended sharply, while its ground speed fluctuated before the aircraft changed course.
Following the diversion, the aircraft was flying at a relatively low altitude of around 15,000 feet, according to tracking data. Some flight trackers also indicated that the aircraft may have briefly transmitted 7500, the transponder code associated with unlawful interference or a possible hijacking. That detail was initially unconfirmed. Later reports indicated that the 7500 code was cancelled. Israeli security sources cited by The Times of Israel said the emergency appeared to have resulted from an altercation between the pilots, rather than a hijacking.
A Middle East correspondent also reported that the aircraft had landed safely in Saudi Arabia. “The assessment in Israel is that the emergency signal on the plane was activated during a violent altercation between the pilots in the cockpit, and not due to a hijacking," he posted. The exact circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
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