Israel-Bound Flydubai Flight Triggers Hijack Alert, Diverted to Saudi Arabia; Israeli Fighter Jets Scrambled

Boeing 737 MAX 8 briefly transmitted hijack code 7500 before diverting to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia

September 30, 2026

Not a hijacking, but a pilot altercation — what really happened on flight FZ1073

7700 to 7500: Decoding the Emergency Signals That Alarmed Israel

A Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv triggered a major security alert on Wednesday after transmitting an emergency signal and briefly a hijacking code while flying over Saudi Arabia, prompting Israel to scramble fighter jets and its prime minister to convene urgent security consultations. Israeli officials later said the incident appeared to stem from an altercation between the pilots rather than a hijacking.

The aircraft, operating as flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 registered as A6-FKF, departed Dubai International Airport at around 6:55 am local time carrying roughly 174 to 180 passengers, including 27 children, bound for Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.

How the alert unfolded

According to flight-tracking data, the aircraft transmitted squawk code 7700 — the international code for a general emergency — before briefly switching to code 7500, which signals unlawful interference or a possible hijacking. Flight-tracking data reviewed by CNN showed the aircraft descending roughly 17,400 feet, from 34,000 feet to around 16,600 feet, over northwestern Saudi Arabia in just over two minutes, before the emergency signal was transmitted. The plane then made a U-turn while descending manually, and contact with the aircraft was reportedly lost for a period, according to Israeli broadcaster Channel 12.

Israel’s response

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz convened an urgent security consultation following the alert. Two Israeli Air Force fighter jets were scrambled to accompany the aircraft as authorities worked to determine what had happened on board. An Israeli security official cautioned at the time that there was no confirmed information the aircraft had been hijacked, but said the inability to establish contact with the pilots was a source of concern.

A cockpit dispute, not a hijacking

The aircraft ultimately diverted away from Israel and landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Israeli security sources subsequently told local media the incident appeared to have been caused by a “violent incident” or altercation between the two pilots rather than a hijacking attempt, with one Israeli official describing it as an internal personnel matter on board. Hijacking has since been ruled out, according to The Times of Israel.

Further details on what occurred inside the cockpit are expected to emerge once the crew and passengers are questioned by authorities. Flydubai had not issued a public statement at the time of writing.

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