When Pilots’ Mood Decides the Flight Destination
Flight FZ1073 initially transmitted emergency squawk code 7700 before briefly transmitting code 7500, which is used internationally to indicate unlawful interference or hijacking.
A Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight took an unexpected turn after the pilots reportedly clashed in the cockpit, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
Flight FZ1073 initially transmitted emergency squawk code 7700 before briefly transmitting code 7500, which is used internationally to indicate unlawful interference or hijacking.
According to flight-tracking information, the aircraft was diverted from Jordanian airspace towards Saudi Arabia following the emergency alert. The plane was subsequently escorted to Tabuk airport, where it landed safely. More than 150 Israeli passengers were reported to be on board.
A spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister said the incident involving the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight was not a hijacking.
Israeli media reported that, according to an initial assessment, the emergency signal was activated during a dispute between the pilots in the cockpit. Further details about the circumstances surrounding the incident were not immediately available.