Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv makes emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after alleged attack on pilot

What happened

A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has made an emergency landing at Tabuk airport in north-western Saudi Arabia after sending out emergency signals. Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737, was diverted while flying near Jordanian airspace, roughly two and a half hours after leaving Dubai.

The company that owns Tabuk airport says both pilots were taken to hospital with injuries. It has not said what caused them. Flydubai says the flight experienced an incident en route, that all passengers are safe and accounted for, and that its teams are working with the relevant authorities.

Israeli officials have reportedly said one pilot stabbed the other before being restrained. Passengers have given similar accounts, describing blood in and near the cockpit, a fight, and other passengers helping to subdue one man. None of this has been officially confirmed or independently verified, and the motive is unknown. Passengers also say two other pilots who were on board took control and landed the plane.

Tracking data shows the plane dropped sharply in altitude shortly before the first emergency signal. It then sent a general emergency code, followed by a code that can indicate a hijacking, and later returned to the general emergency code. Such codes have to be entered manually from the cockpit, and it is not clear who sent them.

Israeli and Saudi fighter jets were reportedly sent up. The Israeli prime minister's office says the situation is under control and that steps are being taken to bring the passengers to Israel. Some Israeli politicians have described the incident as a terrorist attack, but that has not been confirmed by investigators.

Key facts

• Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv landed at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia after an emergency.
• The airport's owner says both pilots were taken to hospital with injuries.
• Flydubai says all passengers are safe and accounted for.
• The Israeli prime minister's office says the situation is under control and passengers are being brought to Israel.
• Passenger numbers are given as about 150 by one account and 160 to 180 by Israeli officials, most of them Israeli.

What you need to know

• Flydubai says it will give updates when more details are available.
• Reports say a separate Flydubai recovery flight is heading to Tabuk to collect the passengers. This has not been officially confirmed.
• A second Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, FZ1081, briefly appeared to turn back on tracking data but landed safely in Tel Aviv.

What happens next

Israeli authorities say arrangements are under way to bring the passengers to Israel. Flydubai says it is working with the relevant authorities and will share more when it can.

Still to be confirmed

• What caused the pilots' injuries, how serious they are, and whether a stabbing took place. So far this comes from Israeli officials cited anonymously and from passengers.
• The motive, and whether the incident was a deliberate attack. No police or investigators have made an official statement.
• Exact details of the flight, including the size and timing of the descent, the number of emergency signals and the landing time, which differ between accounts.
• Who sent the emergency and hijack codes from the cockpit.