Flydubai Flight Diverted to Saudi Arabia Following Violent Incident Between Pilots

October 1, Kathmandu – A Flydubai flight from Dubai, UAE to Tel Aviv, Israel was diverted to Saudi Arabia after a violent altercation between two pilots on board, according to CNN citing sources. The aircraft descended from an altitude of 34,000 feet to approximately 16,600 feet within about two minutes while in flight. Flight tracking data indicates that this incident occurred around 1:20 AM local time.

About 12 minutes after the incident, an emergency signal was transmitted from the aircraft, which was then redirected towards Saudi Arabia. Israeli officials have confirmed that this was not a hijacking. They have described it as a dispute between members of the flight crew. Upon receiving the emergency alert, both the Israeli Prime Minister and Defense Minister engaged in security consultations.

According to a spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), Israeli fighter jets were deployed following the incident. The Flydubai plane is expected to land in Saudi Arabia shortly. CNN has reached out to Flydubai for a response regarding the situation.