Israel-bound flight plunges 20,000 feet after 'fight between pilots' causes emergency diversion

A passenger plane flying to Tel Aviv in Israel from Dubai dropped around 20,000 feet very sharply before it diverted towards Saudi Arabia following an incident onboard.

Flydubai confirmed Flight FZ1073 started transmitting an emergency signal, and then another signal which can warn when a plane is being hijacked.

However, the aircraft then switched back to the general emergency signal is it changed course over Jordan and landed in Saudi Arabia with all passengers safe and accounted for, though Saudi Arabia does not recognise Israel.

Reuters reports that an Israeli official said the pilots had switched on the emergency signal after getting into a fight with each other.

Data from Flightradar24 showed the aircraft drop from around 34,000 feet to 14,000 feet over the course of two minutes, with it making most of that plummet in around 30 seconds.

Data from the plane's flight showed it had to change course and land before reaching Israel (Flightradar24)

The plane was safely landed at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia after it was turned around following a 'physical altercation' between the pilots.

There were around 150 passengers onboard who have been safely delivered to the ground.

Israeli officials said that 'the most severe disaster was prevented' and they were working on arranging an alternative travel arrangement for those passengers who were now stuck in Saudi Arabia.

Miriam Abu Kasis was one of the passengers on board the plane and her mother Yasmin told Reuters that her daughter had heard screaming and a man with a knife had forced one of the pilots to the floor.

Images of a passenger with blood staining his shirt have been circulated.

A Flydubai 737 was the plane that had to divert with around 150 passengers on board (GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

Flydubai said in a statement: "Our teams are working closely with the relevant authorities. Further updates will be issued as additional confirmed details become available."

The Israeli prime minister's office has since said the situation is now 'under control' and they were focused on finding a route for the passengers to continue their journey.

The Times of Israel reports that officials in the country are concerned that the inflight emergency was an attempted terror attack, though other options including a pilot suffering from a mental health episode are also under consideration.

Israel did scramble fighter jets in response to the emergency transmission from the Flydubai plane, a Boeing 737 Max 8, but the danger appears to have passed.

Flydubai is the lower cost sister-carrier of Emirates, and Dubai has become a popular holiday destination for Israeli citizens since ties were normalised with the UAE.

LADbible Group has contacted Flydubai for further comment.