Civilian pilots step in to safely land Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight: Israeli officials

Tel Aviv [Israel], September 30 (ANI): A “severe disaster” was averted, an Israeli official said, as a flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, amid a reported altercation between the pilots, Israel’s Channel 12 reported.
Citing Channel 12, The Times of Israel reported that a second team of pilots, in civilian clothes, made the landing. The two passengers prevented one of the pilots from taking over the plane, according to the outlet.
An Israeli official told Channel 12, “The most severe disaster was prevented.”
Hijacking was reportedly ruled out, The Times of Israel reported, as the flight made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
According to the report, the incident that prompted the aircraft to issue an “unlawful interference” signal was apparently caused by an altercation between the pilots aboard the flight, citing Israeli security sources.
The flight initially transmitted squawk code 7700, an international emergency signal, before sending code 7500, which indicates a hijacking or unlawful interference, according to flight-tracking data cited by The Times of Israel.
The 7500 signal prompted Israeli Air Force fighter jets to scramble toward the aircraft, according to Israeli security sources cited in the report.
The aircraft, carrying around 180 passengers, turned around while flying over Saudi Arabia and was later tracked near Tabuk airport before landing there.
The Israeli military said IDF Chief of Staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir held an assessment of the incident with senior officers, including Israeli Air Force chief Maj Gen Omer Tischler, Operations Directorate chief Maj Gen Itzik Cohen, and Intelligence Directorate chief Maj Gen Shlomi Binder, The Times of Israel reported.
The development comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier that there are indications that Israel's enemies may attempt attacks ahead of the elections, warning them against taking such action and saying the country's "long arm" would reach them anywhere and at any time. (ANI)