Inside FlyDubai's 4-hour ordeal: A cockpit fight, steep descents and alternating distress codes
This is a timeline of the four hours FlyDubai flight 1073 was in the air as a wounded captain fought off his copilot, the aircraft went into a dive and when passengers saved the day by regaining control and landing safely.
For 200 seconds, the aircraft zigzagged as if on a terrifying roller coaster ride after a precipitous loss of altitude.
The plane then climbed before dropping once more.
Ultimately, the Boeing 737 Max 8 made an emergency landing at a Saudi airport.
The motive and circumstances remain unclear and are under investigation by several of the countries involved: Israel, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The captain, an Indian national, was seriously injured and is recovering in a hospital. The copilot, suspected of starting the clash and believed to be Omani, is also injured and remains under questioning.
Here is a look at a minute-by-minute account of the harrowing flight from take-off to landing based on records from flight data tracking sites, Flightradar24 and AirNav Radar (all times are GMT):
03:05 - Takeoff from Dubai airport. Flight had 174 people, most of them Israelis, heading to Tel Aviv.
05:21:09 - The first sign of descent from 34,000 feet.
05:22:40 - The aircraft drops by more than half its height, down to 16,600 feet, the sharpest drop in altitude recorded by data tracking platforms. Three seconds later, it ascends to 21,725 feet.
05:24:29 - Another significant drop to 15,000 feet, the lowest point of the aircraft's journey, which it maintains until it safely lands more than an hour later.
05:28 - First distress signal, Squawk 7700, a code for general emergency, while flying along the Saudi-Jordanian border.
05:35 - Changes distress signal to 7500 for "unlawful interference," indicating something more serious like a hijacking attempt or an attack. It lasts for nearly an hour.
05:42 - Aircraft turns west, briefly entering Jordanian airspace. It is then flying at 15,000 feet.
05:46 - Aircraft makes a 180-degree turn and heads southwest to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
06:28 - Squawk code 7700 for general emergency is sent again, ending the "unlawful interference" alert code.
06:58 - Aircraft approaches Tabuk airport.
For 200 seconds, the aircraft zigzagged as if on a terrifying roller coaster ride after a precipitous loss of altitude.
The plane then climbed before dropping once more.
Ultimately, the Boeing 737 Max 8 made an emergency landing at a Saudi airport.
The motive and circumstances remain unclear and are under investigation by several of the countries involved: Israel, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The captain, an Indian national, was seriously injured and is recovering in a hospital. The copilot, suspected of starting the clash and believed to be Omani, is also injured and remains under questioning.
Here is a look at a minute-by-minute account of the harrowing flight from take-off to landing based on records from flight data tracking sites, Flightradar24 and AirNav Radar (all times are GMT):
03:05 - Takeoff from Dubai airport. Flight had 174 people, most of them Israelis, heading to Tel Aviv.
05:21:09 - The first sign of descent from 34,000 feet.
05:22:40 - The aircraft drops by more than half its height, down to 16,600 feet, the sharpest drop in altitude recorded by data tracking platforms. Three seconds later, it ascends to 21,725 feet.
05:24:29 - Another significant drop to 15,000 feet, the lowest point of the aircraft's journey, which it maintains until it safely lands more than an hour later.
05:28 - First distress signal, Squawk 7700, a code for general emergency, while flying along the Saudi-Jordanian border.
05:35 - Changes distress signal to 7500 for "unlawful interference," indicating something more serious like a hijacking attempt or an attack. It lasts for nearly an hour.
05:42 - Aircraft turns west, briefly entering Jordanian airspace. It is then flying at 15,000 feet.
05:46 - Aircraft makes a 180-degree turn and heads southwest to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
06:28 - Squawk code 7700 for general emergency is sent again, ending the "unlawful interference" alert code.
06:58 - Aircraft approaches Tabuk airport.
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