Two Pilots Fought and Their Flight to Israel Landed in Saudi Arabia
A flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv had to land quickly in northwestern Saudi Arabia on September 30, 2026, after the two pilots got into a fight that made others fear a hijacking.
Flight FZ1073 was going to Ben Gurion Airport when it sent emergency signals, including a special code that means someone may be trying to take over the plane. It is like a silent alarm button for pilots. Flight-tracking data showed the plane was a Boeing 737 Max 8. AeroTime
About two and a half hours after leaving Dubai, the plane fell from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in one minute, according to FlightRadar24. It then made a circle near the border with Jordan and landed in Tabuk about an hour later. Tabuk is home to Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport, which is used by both regular flights and the military. The Guardian
Israeli media, citing security officials, said the trouble started as a feud between the two pilots. A regional official briefed on the incident said a fight broke out in the cockpit apparently involving pilots. Passengers told Israel's Channel 12 they heard shouting about the pilots fighting and felt the plane drop fast before it landed in Saudi Arabia.
The alert caused a fast military response. A second official confirmed Israel sent up warplanes because officials feared the hijacking of a plane carrying dozens of Israeli citizens. Everyone onboard was reported safe.
On the ground, passengers said everyone stayed on the plane while many Saudi security forces surrounded it. The prime minister's office in Jerusalem said the situation was under control and Israel was working to bring the passengers home. FlyDubai confirmed FZ1073 had an incident and landed safely in Tabuk on Wednesday. The airline said its teams were working with authorities and would share updates as more confirmed details became available. The National
The broader context here is about flight rules as much as politics. The code 7500 tells air traffic control and air defenses to treat a plane as possibly hijacked until proven otherwise. A fast drop, a sharp turn off the planned path near a sensitive border, and a flight to Israel with Israeli citizens together created the highest alert. Sending up fighters was the normal response, not an attack.
Looking at what this means for investigators, the focus will now be the cockpit. Pilots are trained to work as a team and stay focused, and a physical fight breaks both rules. That can explain sudden drops and turns, unclear radio messages, and a rushed choice to land elsewhere. Regulators and the airline will need to learn who was flying the plane at each moment, why the hijack code was sent, and whether emergency checklists were followed or bypassed.
For diplomacy and logistics, the next job is getting people home. Moving dozens of Israeli passengers from a Saudi military-civilian airport needs close teamwork among the airline, Saudi authorities, and Israeli officials, plus crew-duty, aircraft-security, and safety checks before the jet can leave. The fact that passengers stayed onboard under guard points to that work already being underway.
