Israeli PM Netanyahu holds emergency meeting as passenger flight heading to Tel Aviv mysteriously diverts to Saudi Arabia
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By IMOGEN GARFINKEL - SENIOR FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER
Published: | Updated:
A passenger jet heading to Tel Aviv was mysteriously diverted on Wednesday morning, prompting the Israeli prime minister to hold an emergency meeting.
Flight FZ1073, which took off from Dubai, abruptly turned around while flying over Jordan after a suspected security incident was reported onboard.
The pilot activated a distress code used to indicate unlawful interference with a flight, which can be used in cases of suspected aircraft hijacking, the Jerusalem Post reported.
The Israel Air Force raised its alert level and scrambled fighter jets in case of a possible emergency.
At this stage, the incident on the Flydubai aircraft is still being investigated and may just have been the result of a technical failure.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is currently holding consultations over the incident, three Israeli security officials told Reuters.
An Israeli source said the plane is expected to land in Saudi Arabia shortly and that the situation will then become more clear.
The Flydubai aircraft, which took off from Dubai, abruptly turned around while flying over Jordan after a suspected security incident was reported onboard
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