Israel-Bound Flydubai Flight Diverts to Saudi Arabia After Pilots Fight

A Flydubai flight traveling from Dubai to Israel diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after the pilots became involved in a physical altercation and emergency signals were transmitted, according to an Israeli official. Flydubai Flight FZ1073 was flying over Jordanian airspace toward Israel when it turned toward Saudi Arabia. The Boeing 737 transmitted a general emergency signal, followed several minutes later by a signal indicating possible unlawful interference, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The aircraft later transmitted another general emergency signal before landing at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The incident was not believed to have involved a hijacking, Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office said. An Israeli official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, said the pilots had transmitted the emergency signals after getting into a physical fight. It was not immediately clear whether either pilot had intentionally triggered the signals. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held consultations over the incident, according to three Israeli security officials cited by Reuters. Military chief Eyal Zamir also held a situational assessment with the air force commander and other military officials, the Israeli military said. Flydubai, which operates daily flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, did not immediately comment. The Dubai-Tel Aviv route is popular with Israeli travelers. Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have official diplomatic relations. Other Topics of Interest Russia’s Su-75: Can Putin’s F-35 Rival Ever Get Off the Ground? Five years after its unveiling, Russia says the first flyable prototype of the Su-75 Checkmate is finally under construction. While marketed as a low-cost alternative to the US F-35, the aircraft has yet to leave the ground. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.