A passenger plane en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv landed at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia after issuing a hijacking emergency signal while flying over Jordanian airspace. It was reported that Israeli fighter jets were scrambled on suspicion of a hijacking, and that the alarm on the plane—which was carrying approximately 180 passengers—was caused by an argument between the pilots in the cockpit.
The passenger plane, which had taken off from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates bound for Tel Aviv, Israel, first transmitted the international general emergency code “7700” while flying over Jordan. Shortly thereafter, the plane transmitted the code “7500,” which indicates an unauthorized intervention or hijacking. It was reported that there were approximately 180 passengers on board the plane, which changed course over Jordan and disappeared from flight tracking websites.
Following the hijacking signal received from the plane, Israeli Air Force fighter jets were scrambled toward it; the plane, last seen on tracking systems near Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, landed at the airport shortly thereafter. Following an investigation by Israeli security sources, it was announced that there was no hijacking or external interference involved. It was reported that the emergency signal and the activation of the alarm were caused by an argument between the pilots in the cockpit.
