Flydubai flight squawks hijack code after reported fight between pilots
A Flydubai Boeing 737 Max bound for Tel Aviv transmitted an emergency code and then a hijack code, prompting Israel to scramble fighter jets. The aircraft landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and authorities later concluded the alert was likely tied to a violent incident on board.
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv prompted a security response on Wednesday morning after it sent an emergency squawk and then a hijack code.
Flight FZ1073 left Dubai International at 07:05, bound for Ben Gurion Airport with an expected arrival of about 09:30. It did not arrive. The Boeing 737 Max, registration A6-FKF, had 174 people on board. It first transmitted the general emergency code 7700, followed by transponder code 7500, which signals unlawful interference with a flight and can be used in a hijacking.
At the time the aircraft was in Jordanian airspace. It turned around, re-entered Saudi airspace and descended to a lower altitude. Contact with the cockpit was temporarily lost, and Israel sent two fighter jets to accompany the 737 Max.
No hijacking was confirmed, and the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. An Israeli security official said there was no confirmed information pointing to a hijacking. According to the report, Israeli authorities later concluded the alert was apparently raised over a violent incident on board.
Two employees of the airline are said to have been involved.
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Sources
- aerotelegraph.comFlydubai-Flug sendet Entführungscode: Piloten sollen sich gestritten haben
- aerotelegraph.comFlydubai-Flug sendet Entführungscode: Piloten gingen aufeinander los