A FlyDubai passenger liner carrying hundreds of people to Tel Aviv went into a death-dive over Saudi Arabia, before landing in Tabuk in northern Saudi Arabia, following a ‘violent incident’ onboard, according to FlyDubai. 

The Boeing 737 was reportedly carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children. About two hours into the flight, the aircraft transmitted emergency signals, including a code indicating possible hijacking, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24. The plane went into a steep dive, losing some 4,500 meters in altitude in a minute, according to tracking data

Israel scrambled fighter jets, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held urgent security consultations.

FlyDubai later confirmed that the aircraft landed at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia and that all passengers were safe. It said a replacement aircraft would take them onward to Israel.

Widely conflicting reports as to the chain of events on board and the identity of the pilots are currently circulating.

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