Israel-bound flight diverted after fight between pilots

A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia following a physical altercation between the pilot and co-pilot. Israeli officials confirmed the incident was not a hijacking, though the plane initially signaled an emergency code.
Why it matters
The incident highlights significant aviation safety concerns and required an urgent response from the Israeli air force due to the sensitive nature of regional air travel.
Image source, LightRocket via Getty Images Image caption, The Flydubai plane took off early on Wednesday morning (Stock photo)
A flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was unexpectedly diverted after a physical fight between the pilots, Israeli officials told local media.
The Flydubai plane - which took off from Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates early on Wednesday morning - signalled an emergency code two hours into the journey, flight tracking website Flightradar24 said.
Also covering this story
3 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
'Fight Between Pilots': What Happened Inside Diverted Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight
Hijack scare on Tel Aviv-Dubai flight; plane carrying 180 diverted to Saudi Arabia
Israel-bound commercial plane from Dubai diverted to Saudi Arabia after distress call
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in