Second Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv turns back after earlier emergency

A second Flydubai flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv reversed course mid-air on Wednesday, Israeli media reported, with the turnback coming just hours after another aircraft from the same carrier made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia amid conflicting reports about a cockpit altercation.

Second service returns to origin

Flight FZ1081 turned back while en route to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, according to Ynet. The reason for the reversal was not immediately clear.

Israeli media said there was no indication the incident was connected to flight FZ1073, which had triggered a hijacking alert before making an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia earlier in the day.

Emergency landing in Tabuk

Earlier Wednesday, flight FZ1073 issued a distress call and landed safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, according to Anadolu. Both the captain and first officer sustained injuries and were transferred to a hospital for medical treatment, the airport said.

Pilot dispute probed

Ynet reported conflicting accounts about the circumstances surrounding the first incident. Israeli Channel 12 said the situation appeared not to be security-related, adding that authorities were examining whether the distress signal had been activated accidentally following an argument between the pilots.