A Flydubai passenger aircraft travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia after an incident involving two pilots triggered an emergency response, according to CNN sources.
Flight-tracking data reviewed by CNN showed the aircraft rapidly descended from about 34,000 feet to 16,600 feet over northwestern Saudi Arabia in just over two minutes at around 1:20 a.m. ET.
The aircraft transmitted an emergency signal approximately 12 minutes after the descent, prompting Israeli authorities to scramble fighter jets as a precaution.
An Israeli official said the incident was not a hijacking, describing it instead as an internal personnel incident involving the aircraft’s crew.
The development also led Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz to hold a security consultation.
The aircraft was expected to land in Saudi Arabia, while the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
CNN reported that it had contacted Flydubai for comment.
