A flydubai Boeing 737 MAX flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv triggered a brief hijacking scare on Wednesday after the aircraft transmitted emergency signals and diverted over northern Saudi Arabia. Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft changing course toward Saudi Arabia after initially issuing the international 7700 emergency code. It later transmitted 7500, a code used to indicate unlawful interference or a possible hijacking, prompting Israeli authorities to respond. The aircraft eventually landed safely at Tabuk airport.

The flight, identified as flydubai FZ1073 in reports, was carrying around 180 passengers, according to initial reports. The aircraft had been travelling from Dubai towards Tel Aviv when it began turning back over Saudi territory. Israeli security sources said fighter jets were scrambled toward the aircraft after the 7500 signal was detected. The unusual sequence of events also led to urgent consultations involving senior Israeli officials as authorities sought to establish what had happened aboard the plane.

The situation changed after the aircraft approached Tabuk airport. The plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia, allowing authorities to begin assessing the cause of the emergency signals. Israeli security sources later said the incident did not appear to have been a hijacking. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office also said the diversion was not believed to have been caused by a hijacking.

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According to Israeli security sources cited after the landing, the emergency signals were apparently connected to an altercation between the pilots aboard the aircraft. The exact circumstances surrounding the reported confrontation were not immediately detailed. The information emerged only after the aircraft had reached Tabuk, when authorities were able to establish a clearer picture of what had taken place during the flight. The initial 7500 signal had nevertheless prompted a significant security response because of its association with unlawful interference.

The incident also prompted an assessment by Israel’s military leadership. IDF Chief of Staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir held discussions with senior officers, including Israeli Air Force chief Maj Gen Omer Tischler and other senior commanders, according to security reports. The response reflected the precautions taken after the aircraft transmitted the hijacking-related emergency code while flying toward Israel. No reports indicated that the aircraft was attacked or that passengers were harmed during the incident.

The episode highlights the security procedures triggered when a commercial aircraft transmits an unlawful-interference signal, particularly on a route involving Israel and the wider Middle East. While the initial emergency signals raised fears of a hijacking and led to Israeli fighter jets being scrambled, subsequent information from Israeli officials indicated that hijacking had been ruled out. The aircraft’s safe landing in Tabuk allowed authorities to investigate the reported incident between the pilots while passengers remained out of immediate danger.

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