Israel reportedly scrambled warplanes in response. Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 bound for Ben Gurion Airport, sent an emergency alert shortly after departing Dubai International Airport.
flydubai Incident Live Updates: A flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after briefly transmitting emergency codes, including one associated with a possible hijacking, according to publicly available flight-tracking data.
Here’s The Latest Updates On flydubai Flight FZ1073 Incident:
The signal alone does not establish what happened on board. Flight-tracking information showed the aircraft first transmitted squawk code 7700, the internationally recognised code for a general emergency. It then switched to 7500, which indicates unlawful interference with an aircraft, including a possible hijacking. About 180 Israeli passengers were on the flight.
The flight’s pilot and co-pilot have been hospitalised in Saudi Arabia after sustaining injuries, according to a statement by Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk airport.
