What Is Squawk 7500? Code That Sparked Hijack Fears On flydubai Flight

The flydubai flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, sent out 7700, the code for a general emergency. The aircraft later changed the code to 7500.

The second code raised fears that the Boeing 737 MAX 8 had been hijacked. The flight was later diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. Flydubai said all 180 on board, including passengers and crew, were safe.

Reports said the emergency followed a physical fight between the two pilots, but the exact details are still being investigated.

What Does Squawk 7500 Actually Mean?

The number 7500 is an international emergency code used to signal "unlawful interference" with an aircraft. It tells air traffic controllers that something may be seriously wrong on board and that someone could be interfering with the flight.

Read: Dentist, Off-Roster Pilots, Bravery: What Saved 180 Aboard flydubai Plane

The code is entered into the aircraft's transponder, a device that communicates information about the plane to air traffic controllers. Because hijacking is one possible form of unlawful interference, 7500 is commonly known as the hijack code.

When air traffic controllers see 7500 on their screens, they are supposed to give priority to the aircraft and make arrangements for it to land safely. However, 7500 doesn't always mean a plane has been hijacked. The code means that there may be unlawful interference.

What Happened On The flydubai Flight?

Flight FZ1073 was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv when it sent the emergency signals.

According to Flightradar24, the plane first transmitted 7700, indicating a general emergency. A few minutes later, it switched to 7500, which indicates unlawful interference. The aircraft later returned to 7700 and diverted towards Saudi Arabia.

Read: "He Attacked Us, We Overpowered Him": Video Emerges From flydubai Plane

Israeli officials and passengers said there was a physical fight between the pilots inside the cockpit. Passengers also reported hearing shouting, and one pilot was reported to be injured.

Israeli officials also said the aircraft made a sharp descent during the incident. Reuters reported, according to The Jerusalem Post, that Flightradar24 data showed the plane dropping nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds, according to The Jerusalem Post.