Altercation in the Cockpit and Emergency Symbols.. What Happened to the "Fly Dubai" Plane?

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The aircraft, a "Boeing 737 Max 8" belonging to "Fly Dubai", was on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv with Israeli passengers on board. During the flight, an incident occurred in the cockpit, followed by the aircraft sending emergency signals, before changing its course and making an emergency landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk.

What is most striking is that the aircraft first sent the code 7700, which is a general emergency code, then sent 7500, which is the navigational code used to indicate "unlawful interference" or the possibility of hijacking, before returning to 7700, while flight tracking data showed sharp changes in altitude and course.

In light of varying accounts, not all details of the incident have been officially resolved yet. "Fly Dubai" confirmed that the flight experienced an "incident during the flight", that the aircraft landed safely, and that all passengers are fine, but it has not disclosed the details of the cause of the incident in its official statement so far.

The company indicated that the airline will continue to issue more updates and official statements as soon as additional confirmed details about the ambiguous incident become available.

In contrast, reports indicated that a physical altercation occurred between the pilots inside the cockpit. Other reports mentioned the use of a knife and injuries, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed there was a possibility of a terrorist act. Meanwhile, Flydubai did not confirm these accounts in its official statement.

What is confirmed at this time is that the captain of the plane and his assistant were injured and were taken to the hospital after landing in Tabuk, according to the documented videos. Tabuk Airport stated that the distress call was received at 8:44 AM, and the plane landed safely at 9:45 AM, while investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident.

As for the reason for each one's injury, who initiated the altercation, and whether one of them attempted to take control of the plane intentionally, these points are still under investigation.

Saudi Arabia rejected a request for a plane from Israel to transport passengers to Tel Aviv, according to the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, however, Flydubai sent an alternative plane to transport the passengers after Riyadh rejected Tel Aviv's request.

Yedioth Ahronoth: Saudi Arabia refused to allow an Israeli plane to land before the passengers departed on Flydubai #العربيةعاجل

It cannot currently be described as a confirmed hijacking. The code 7500 means "unlawful interference," but it does not alone specify the nature of the incident, while the circumstances of the altercation inside the cockpit remain under investigation.

This is one of the most important points in the story. Flydubai stated that crew members were on board the flight and took control of the aircraft, landing it in Tabuk, according to reports.

The aircraft landed at a maximum speed that caused damage, as photos showed parts of the tail of the plane shattered, which could have led to a disaster had it continued flying in that condition for a longer period.

Here, the role of the Saudi authorities and Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in the immediate handling of the situation is highlighted. From the moment the distress call was received, the airport went into alert mode to deal with the aircraft, declaring a state of emergency and preparing the necessary response to receive it.

The Flydubai flight landed safely, before the relevant authorities took care of the injuries of its pilots and provided care to the passengers. The airport also coordinated with the airline to secure a replacement aircraft, on which all passengers later departed.

The Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in the city of Tabuk announced the departure of all passengers on the alternative aircraft, following the emergency landing of Flydubai flight number (FZ1073) on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.

The airport clarified, in a follow-up statement, that all passengers departed on the alternative aircraft at exactly 5:40 PM.

The Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport reiterated its commitment to the regulations and instructions issued by the General Authority of Civil Aviation, in accordance with the relevant international treaties and agreements concerning the safety of air navigation, passengers, and cabin crews.