Shortly after a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv declared an emergency, a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was no hijacking scare.
The flight was carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children, according to local reports.
The signal prompted Israeli authorities to scramble fighter jets and hold an emergency meeting, according to The Times of Israel. However, a spokesperson for Netanyahu’s office has since dismissed the hijacking concerns. The Israeli Air Force has not yet issued an official statement on reports that its fighter jets were scrambled in response to the incident.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft was approaching the Saudi Arabian city of Tabuk, according to Flightradar24 data.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz held an urgent security consultation following the incident, according to Ynet. Police Commissioner Danny Levy also conducted a situation assessment and told reporters that authorities were prepared for “every scenario. Meanwhile, the Israel Police Operations Division directed the establishment of a joint command centre in coordination with other security agencies.
