Pilots Fight Mid-Flight, Because Apparently Even the Cockpit Isn't Safe from Drama
A Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight took a detour to Saudi Arabia after the pilots apparently traded blows mid-air, because even the cockpit isn't immune to workplace drama.
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv took an unexpected detour to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday morning after the pilots apparently decided to settle their differences mid-air. The plane, carrying around 150 people - most of them Israeli - landed at Tabuk Airport in northeastern Saudi Arabia instead of Ben-Gurion Airport.
Flight FZ1073 took off from Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates early Wednesday. Two hours in, it squawked an emergency code, according to Flightradar24. Minutes later, the code switched to hijacking, then back to general emergency. Because nothing says "we're fine" like cycling through every panic button on the dashboard.
Israeli media, citing officials, says one pilot stabbed the other before being restrained. Passengers have also shared reports of a stabbing with local news outlets. Flydubai confirmed the flight "experienced an incident while en route" and said updates would be issued as details emerge. "Our teams are working closely with the relevant authorities," the airline added, presumably while updating their LinkedIn profiles.
Flightradar24 data shows the plane descended more than 17,000 feet (over 5,000m) in less than two minutes just after 05:21 UTC (06:21 BST). At 05:40, it briefly entered Jordanian airspace before looping back into Saudi Arabia and beginning its descent for landing. The Israeli air force dispatched fighter jets, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held urgent consultations. In a statement, Netanyahu said the situation is under control and efforts are under way to return the Israeli passengers home from Saudi Arabia.
So, to recap: a routine flight turned into a geopolitical incident because two grown-ups couldn't keep their hands to themselves. At least the passengers got a story out of it - and a free trip to Saudi Arabia.
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