A FlyDubai Boeing 737‑MAX bound for Tel Aviv from Dubai received an emergency alert roughly two and a half hours after departure. The aircraft dropped from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in about a minute, then performed an erratic loop near the Jordanian border before diverting to Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
Officials reported that a fight broke out in the cockpit between the captain and the first officer. One of the pilots was armed with a knife. Both pilots were injured during the altercation and were taken to a hospital in Tabuk for treatment.
Israeli authorities scrambled fighter jets in response to the incident, fearing a possible hijacking. An Israeli official said a pilot had stabbed the other and attempted to crash the aircraft. The investigation is ongoing, and the crew have been questioned as part of the inquiry.
FlyDubai confirmed that the flight, carrying 174 passengers including 27 children, experienced an in‑flight “altercation” and landed safely in Tabuk. All passengers and crew are reported to be safe and have been accounted for. Passengers were later flown back to Tel Aviv on a rescue flight, although Saudi authorities denied permission for an Israeli aircraft to perform the transfer.
