Flydubai Tel Aviv flight sends hijack code by mistake, lands safely in Saudi Arabia

An emergency code linked to hijacking was transmitted from a Flydubai aircraft flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv, causing a brief commotion in Israel. The aircraft carried 174 passengers, including 27 children.

According to available information, the aircraft had left Dubai for Tel Aviv with 174 passengers and crew members on board. While heading towards Tel Aviv, the aircraft was descending manually and making a U-turn. It was during this time that an emergency squawk code was sent from the aircraft.

The 7700 squawk code was sent first. In international air traffic, 7700 signals a serious emergency. Shortly afterwards, the 7500 code was transmitted. This code is used to report a hijacking or the threat of one, and it caused alarm among security agencies.

After the 7500 code was received, it emerged that the aircraft had turned towards Saudi Arabia. At that point there was no firm information about a hijacking. But the pilots could not be contacted, which heightened the concern of Israeli security officials. Efforts began to find out the actual situation inside the aircraft.

Considering the possible threat, Israeli fighter jets took off and began patrolling the skies. The Israeli government took the matter seriously and immediately called a high-level meeting. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Katz met at once and reviewed the situation. They discussed the information available on the aircraft's movements and the safety of the passengers. Concern was also expressed over the safety of the 27 children on board. For a while, there was a flurry of activity among Israel's security agencies.

After some time, the aircraft landed safely at an airport in Saudi Arabia. Security agencies breathed a sigh of relief as it touched down. Efforts then began to find out how the emergency code had come to be transmitted. The inquiry found that the button linked to hijacking had been pressed by mistake during an argument between the pilots. The aircraft had not actually been hijacked, and the confusion was cleared up.

Prime Minister Netanyahu also clarified that the incident was not connected to a hijacking. The fear that had built up for a while ended. When news came that all passengers were safe, their families too felt relieved. The speed with which Israel's security agencies moved as soon as the code was transmitted again showed how seriously such emergency signals are taken in aviation. A few minutes of misunderstanding forced security agencies to scramble internationally, but the aircraft's safe landing brought the matter to a good end.