An international flight traveling from the United Arab Emirates to Israel was forced to change course and land in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday morning following a physical dispute between the flight deck crew. The incident aboard the Flydubai aircraft also triggered a brief security scare that included the transmission of a hijacking alert.

Flight FZ1073 departed from Dubai International Airport early Wednesday carrying approximately 150 passengers, the vast majority of whom were Israeli citizens. The journey toward Ben-Gurion Airport proceeded normally for the first two hours until an altercation broke out between the pilot and the co-pilot.

Flight tracking data indicated that the aircraft experienced a sudden and dramatic loss of altitude while flying over Saudi airspace. The plane dropped more than 17,000 feet in less than two minutes shortly after 05:21 UTC. Passengers later recounted moments of terror to local media outlets, stating they feared for their lives as the aircraft abruptly descended.

During the cockpit confrontation, the aircraft briefly signaled a code indicating an unlawful interference or hijacking. This automated alert prompted a rapid response from regional authorities. The Israeli air force scrambled fighter jets to monitor the situation, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened urgent consultations with security officials.

Flight tracking records show that the aircraft briefly entered Jordanian airspace before turning back toward Saudi Arabia, where it ultimately touched down safely at Tabuk Airport in the country's northeastern region. The Israeli prime minister's office subsequently confirmed that the emergency transponder codes had been triggered by an internal dispute rather than an actual hijacking attempt.

A representative for Flydubai acknowledged that the flight encountered an unscheduled event while traveling to its destination. The airline stated that operations teams are cooperating fully with governmental authorities as the investigation continues, with further information to be released as it becomes available.

Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.