FlyDubai LIVE: Pilot ‘may have tried to crash plane’ in possible terror attack, Israeli officials say

There were reports of blood and a knife

A hijack alert was issued on Wednesday morning, forcing a Tel Aviv-bound flight to divert to Saudi Arabia after a violent row reportedly broke out between its pilots.

FlyDubai flight FZ1073 left Dubai for Tel Aviv at around 6am BST (9am local time) carrying roughly 150 people.

Partway through the journey, its crew transmitted code 7500, the signal that tells air traffic control a hijacking is under way.

Israeli fighter jets scrambled, and Ben Gurion Airport suspended arrivals while officials tried to work out what was happening on board.

During the incident, the Boeing 737 Max 8 experienced a violent descent in altitude, dropping from 34,000 to around 16,600 feet in just two minutes, as per flight data.

The aircraft never reached Israel. It changed course and landed in Saudi Arabia instead, where FlyDubai confirmed everyone on board was safe.

A second FlyDubai also started diverting away from Tel Aviv, however, has since continued on its journey and his heading towards its original destination.

Initial reports denied an attack, but authorities are changing their tune

Israeli broadcasters had initially said that the incident was not related to any larger scheme, but merely a fight on the flight deck of the aircraft between two pilots.

However, latest reports from CNN and The Mirror say that Israeli authorities familiar with the situation now believe the pilot may have allegedly been trying to crash the plane, and that it could be linked to a possible terror attack.

One of the officials said that information gathered by Israeli authorities indicates that the co-pilot tried to stab the pilot, and an Israeli passenger helped restrain the co-pilot.

Meanwhile, The Mirror have reported that a senior Israeli official told broadcaster Channel 12 that there are growing indications that one of the pilots may have attempted to take control of the aircraft and deliberately crash it.

Passengers described “screams and blood” as the emergency unfolded with suggestions a pilot had been stabbed, according to the Mirror.

Eyewitness reports said that a man took a knife, put the pilot on the floor, and that there was blood everywhere.

An image released by Israeli media has shown a passenger wearing a blood-soaked t-shirt.

Netanyahu convened security talks before the cause was clear

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defence minister, Israel Katz, assembled an emergency huddle as the flight diverted.

FlyDubai has not said what caused the reported fight between its pilots. Investigators will likely look into the cause once the plane and crew return to base.

What does the hijack code 7500 mean?

Code 7500 is the transponder signal a flight crew sends to alert controllers silently to a hijacking, without needing to speak over the radio and risk tipping off anyone controlling the cabin.

Where did the FlyDubai flight land instead of Tel Aviv?

Flight FZ1073 diverted safely to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.

The airline is operating a flight to get passengers to their intended destination.