Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv transmits hijacking code, diverts

A Flydubai flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with more than 150 passengers on board transmitted a distress code indicating a possible hijacking, descended to an unusual altitude and diverted toward Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, according to Israeli media reports. The aircraft was expected to land in Saudi Arabia shortly after the incident, Ynet reported.

Conflicting Reports

Israeli Channel 12 later reported that contact with the aircraft had been lost following the initial hijacking alert, though a security source cited by Ynet stressed that “there is no confirmed information about a hijacking. The pilot activated a distress signal.” Sources in Israel told the same outlet the episode was likely “not a security incident,” though details remained scarce as officials scrambled to verify the situation.

Security Response

Israeli daily Ynet said two fighter jets from the Israeli Air Force were scrambled immediately after the alert was triggered. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz subsequently gathered for an urgent security consultation to assess the situation, according to the same outlet.