A flydubai passenger aircraft travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv underwent a sudden and steep descent over northwestern Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, losing about 14,300 feet in 37 seconds, according to flight-tracking data from Flightradar24. Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737, was cruising at around 34,000 feet when the descent began at approximately 10:51 am IST. The aircraft subsequently climbed and descended again before stabilising at a lower altitude.

According to Flightradar24, the aircraft briefly descended at a rate of roughly 23,000 feet per minute before reaching an altitude in the mid-16,000-foot range. The flight then climbed to around 21,700 feet before another descent, eventually settling at approximately 14,000-15,000 feet. The tracking service described the aircraft's altitude as oscillating around that level, while its groundspeed also varied significantly during the remainder of the flight.

The aircraft was eventually diverted from its planned destination, Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. Flydubai confirmed that the aircraft had experienced an “incident” while en route and said all passengers were safe and accounted for. Reports indicated that more than 100 Israeli passengers were aboard, although early accounts differed over the precise number of people on the flight.

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The flight-tracking data also recorded a peak groundspeed of about 598 knots, or roughly 1,108 kmph, during the episode. This figure is close to the speed of sound under certain atmospheric conditions, leading to descriptions that the aircraft had “nearly gone supersonic”. However, groundspeed is different from airspeed, which measures an aircraft's speed relative to the surrounding air, and wind conditions can create a significant difference between the two measurements.

The incident unfolded amid reports of a physical confrontation between the two pilots in the cockpit. Israeli media reports and AFP, citing passengers and their relatives, said one pilot allegedly attacked the other, identified in reports as Indian national Captain Smit Machchhar, with a knife before passengers intervened. The circumstances of the confrontation have not been fully established, and authorities and the airline have not publicly confirmed all details reported about the cockpit incident.

Flight-tracking data also indicated that the aircraft transmitted emergency transponder codes, including 7700, used to signal a general emergency, and 7500, associated with a hijacking situation. The 7500 signal reportedly prompted concerns about a possible hijacking and led to heightened security measures. An investigation into the incident, including the aircraft's unusual flight path and the events inside the cockpit, is underway.

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