Flydubai Flight Diverted to Saudi Arabia After Pilots Brawl Mid-Air

• A Flydubai Boeing 737 bound for Tel Aviv transmitted emergency signals indicating possible unlawful interference before being diverted
• An Israeli official told Reuters that the pilot and co-pilot got into a physical altercation with each other during the flight
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was briefed on the situation, with his office saying measures were underway to return passengers

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A Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv has been diverted to Saudi Arabia after the two pilots on board became involved in a physical fight during the journey, an Israeli official told Reuters.

The Boeing 737 aircraft transmitted an emergency signal suggesting possible unlawful interference, prompting fears of a hijacking.

Tracking website Flightradar24 recorded the signal, and Israeli authorities subsequently scrambled military jets in response to the perceived threat.

BBC reported that an aircraft eventually landed at Tabuk airport in north-western Saudi Arabia after transmitting a second general emergency signal.

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Both the pilot and co-pilot were taken to hospital following the landing, according to Reuters. The cause of the altercation between the two crew members has not been established.

Flydubai, an Emirati government-owned carrier based in Dubai, confirmed that the aircraft had "experienced an incident while en route" and landed safely in Tabuk. The airline said it would issue further updates as more information became available.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the incident was not believed to have been a hijacking and that the situation was under control. Three Israeli security officials told Reuters that Netanyahu had been briefed on the matter. His office added that all necessary steps were being taken to facilitate the return of Israeli passengers to Israel.

Second Flydubai Flight Also Diverted

While the initial incident was still unfolding, a second Flydubai aircraft was also diverted and reported to be heading back to Dubai, Reuters said, citing Flightradar24.

No further details about the circumstances surrounding the second diversion were immediately available.

An Israeli official, who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that the emergency signals had been transmitted following the physical altercation between the pilots rather than any external threat or hijacking attempt.

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Source: YEN.com.gh