The incident involving flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv received widespread coverage in Arab media shortly after it occurred, but the tone and details of the reports varied significantly between outlets in the United Arab Emirates and the wider Gulf region and those operating elsewhere in the Arab world.
While media outlets associated with Dubai and Abu Dhabi initially used cautious wording and repeated the airline’s official statement, other Arab outlets quickly reported a serious altercation between the pilots and allegations that one of them attempted to take control of the aircraft and possibly cause it to crash.
Emirati media outlets largely stuck to the airline’s official account. Gulf News reported that the aircraft, which was traveling to Tel Aviv, “experienced an incident during the flight,” changed its route, and landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. The newspaper emphasized that all passengers were safe and that the airline was cooperating with authorities.
Only later did the report mention that, according to Flightradar24 data, the aircraft initially transmitted emergency code 7700 and later briefly transmitted code 7500, which is used in cases of unlawful interference or suspected hijacking. The report also stressed that the reason for the transmission had not been verified.
Khaleej Times, Al Bayan, Al Khaleej, and Al Emarat Al Youm took a similar approach. The outlets closely followed flydubai’s statement, reporting that the aircraft “was exposed to an incident” or an “unexpected incident” during the flight, landed safely in Saudi Arabia, and that all passengers were in good condition.
Initial coverage did not push attempted hijacking, suicide reports
None of these initial reports confirmed claims of a suicide attempt, an effort to crash the aircraft, or a terror incident.
Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya initially took a similarly cautious approach, highlighting comments from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson that the incident was not a hijacking. The network focused on addressing concerns raised after the aircraft transmitted code 7500.
Outside official and institutional Gulf media, however, the reporting quickly became more dramatic.
The newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi published a headline about a “fight between pilots that put Israel on alert,” reporting that the hijacking signal was apparently activated during a confrontation between the two pilots. The newspaper added that Israel scrambled fighter jets and that Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz held urgent security consultations.
Al-Araby Al-Jadeed went further in its updated report, saying that alongside the account of a cockpit altercation, there were also reports of an “alleged suicide attempt” by one of the pilots. The outlet stressed that the investigation was still ongoing and that the claims had not been officially confirmed by the airline or Saudi authorities.
Some Arab media outlets cite Israeli sources, push dramatic reporting
The most dramatic reports came from Arab media outlets citing Israeli sources.
An Al Jazeera report said that Israeli security officials had grown increasingly suspicious that one of the pilots attempted to take control of the aircraft and crash it, while the other pilot attempted to stop him. According to the same report, Israel at one point did not rule out the possibility that the incident was a terror event and waited for the results of the investigation in Saudi Arabia.
RT Arabic, which is Russian state-controlled, reported the more dramatic version of events. The Russian outlet reported that, according to Israeli reports, one of the pilots attempted to commit suicide and that the confrontation in the cockpit led to the activation of emergency codes and a change in the aircraft’s route. However, it also clarified that the claim was based on Israeli media reports and sources, rather than an official statement from flydubai or Saudi authorities.
In the first hours of Arab media coverage, a clear divide emerged. Media outlets in the UAE sought to limit speculation, emphasize the safe landing, and closely follow the airline’s official wording.
As reports spread beyond Dubai, additional and increasingly serious claims emerged, beginning with reports of a fight between the pilots, followed by allegations of an attempted takeover, and later claims that one pilot intentionally attempted to crash the aircraft.
Flydubai and Saudi authorities have not officially confirmed the latest versions of events, which should be treated as claims under investigation.
