Cockpit Brawl Forces Flydubai Flight into Emergency Landing in Tabuk After Accidental Hijack Alert

TABUK, SAUDI ARABIA/Kalinga Darpan:

A scheduled international commercial flight operated by Flydubai was forced to make an emergency diversion and landing at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Regional Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, following an unprecedented mid-air altercation inside the cockpit.

The aircraft, which was operating a standard route from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 180 passengers on board, diverted unexpectedly after the cockpit transponder transmitted a distress code signaling an unlawful interference or hijack emergency.

The squawk transmission immediately activated regional air traffic security protocols, prompting aviation authorities to clear an emergency descent corridor toward Tabuk. Ground defense, security personnel, and airfield emergency response units were placed on high alert as the airliner approached Saudi airspace.

Subsequent investigations and preliminary debriefings revealed that no external threat or passenger interference had occurred. Instead, an intense altercation broke out between the two pilots controlling the flight deck during mid-flight operations. During the physical and verbal confrontation, one of the pilots activated the aircraft's emergency hijack transponder code, broadcasting a critical distress alert to regional air traffic monitoring systems.

Upon touching down safely in Tabuk, airport authorities secured the aircraft on an isolated taxiway. All 180 passengers and crew members disembarked safely without reported physical injuries among the travelers in the cabin.

Aviation regulatory authorities and airline management have initiated a formal inquiry into the cockpit incident, focusing on crew discipline, operational safety breaches, and the sequence of events leading to the cockpit confrontation. The flight crew members involved in the altercation have been grounded pending the findings of the joint investigation.