Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv diverted to Saudi Arabia after emergency alert
The aircraft carrying more than 150 Israelis was diverted to Saudi Arabia after the alert was raised.
Israeli fighter jets scrambled on Wednesday after a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv reported a suspected hijacking.
The aircraft was en route from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to Tel Aviv when the alert was raised, prompting the Israeli Air Force to dispatch fighter jets.
More than 150 Israelis were aboard the flight, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia after the suspected hijacking was reported.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz convened an urgent security consultation following the incident.
No further details were immediately available about what prompted the hijacking alert, the status of the aircraft, or whether authorities determined that the threat was genuine.
According to data from tracking website FlightRadar24, the aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 (registration A6-FKF), initially broadcast emergency code 7700, indicating a general emergency. Subsequently, some tracking systems reported the transmission of code 7500, signifying "unlawful interference." However, there is currently no official confirmation of this report from the airline or civil aviation authorities.
Flight data shows that the aircraft crossed into Jordanian airspace but shortly afterward made a U-turn and headed back toward Saudi Arabia. Tracking data also showed that the aircraft descended to an altitude of approximately 15,000 feet, significantly lower than the standard cruising altitude for this route.
The flight was scheduled to land at Ben Gurion Airport at around 09:10. The reason for the emergency code transmission and the change in flight path remains unknown, and there has been no official confirmation from Flydubai regarding the aircraft's status or the circumstances of the incident.
