In short
- A Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to Israel landed at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday 30 September 2026 after transmitting an emergency alert shortly after takeoff.
- Flydubai said the plane “experienced an incident while en route” and that all passengers were safe and accounted for at Tabuk airport.
- The aircraft issued an “unlawful interference” alert, and Israeli media outlets quoting Israeli officials reported it was apparently caused by an altercation between the pilots on board.
- Israeli Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir held an assessment of the incident with senior officers after the reported incident, according to the Israeli military.
- Flydubai said more details would be shared later and did not confirm the account reported by Israeli media.
A Flydubai passenger flight travelling from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to Israel was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday 30 September 2026, landing at Tabuk airport after the aircraft transmitted an emergency alert shortly after takeoff, according to publicly available flight tracking information. The airline said all passengers were safe and accounted for.
What did Flydubai say about the flight?
Flydubai confirmed that the plane “experienced an incident while en route”. The airline said the aircraft landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia and that all passengers were safe and accounted for. Flydubai said more details would be shared later.
What caused the emergency alert?
The plane issued an “unlawful interference” alert shortly after departing Dubai, according to flight tracking information. Israeli media outlets, quoting Israeli officials, reported that the alert was apparently caused by an altercation between the pilots on board the flight. The airline has not confirmed that account.
How did Israel respond?
The Israeli military said in a statement that Israeli Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir held an assessment of the incident with senior officers after the reported incident. The flight had been bound for Israel before it was diverted to Saudi Arabia.
Where did the flight land?
- Route: Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Israel.
- Diversion: Tabuk airport, Saudi Arabia.
- Date: Wednesday 30 September 2026.
- Alert type: “unlawful interference”.
- Airline statement: all passengers safe and accounted for.
What has not been confirmed?
Flydubai has described only an “incident while en route” and has not said what caused the alert. The account that an altercation between the pilots triggered it comes from Israeli media outlets quoting Israeli officials, not from the airline. Flydubai said further details would follow.
What is the wider regional context?
The diversion took place in Middle East airspace during a period of unresolved regional diplomacy. Iran is awaiting a US response after Donald Trump rejected a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the Flydubai flight divert to Saudi Arabia?
The aircraft transmitted an emergency alert described as “unlawful interference” shortly after taking off from Dubai. Israeli media outlets quoting Israeli officials reported the alert was apparently caused by an altercation between the pilots; Flydubai said only that the plane “experienced an incident while en route”.
Where did the Flydubai flight land?
It landed at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia. The flight had departed Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and was bound for Israel.
Were the passengers on board safe?
Flydubai said all passengers were safe and accounted for after the landing at Tabuk airport.
With reporting from Al Jazeera.
Stock image, not from the events described. Airport Runway — Jay Mantri / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)