A Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with more than 150 passengers aboard triggered a major security alert on Wednesday after transmitting a code indicating a possible hijacking and diverting towards Saudi Arabia, according to Israeli media.
Israeli newspaper Ynet reported that the aircraft descended to what was described as an unusual or suspicious altitude, prompting two Israeli Air Force fighter jets to be scrambled.
Initial reports suggested that the aircraft had transmitted a code associated with a possible hijacking. However, a security source cited by Ynet cautioned that there was no confirmed evidence that the plane had actually been hijacked.
“There is no confirmed information about a hijacking. The pilot activated a distress signal,” the source said.
Israeli Channel 12 subsequently reported that contact with the aircraft had been lost following the initial alert.
The plane diverted towards Saudi Arabia, where it was expected to land shortly after the incident, according to Ynet.
Israeli sources later indicated that the incident was probably not security-related, although the precise circumstances surrounding the distress signal and diversion remained unclear.
The alert prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz to convene an urgent security consultation, according to Israeli media.
Further information on what caused the distress signal and the aircraft’s status was awaited.