Authorities are investigating whether a pilot on a Flydubai flight tried to crash a Tel Aviv-bound plane on Wednesday, according to Israeli media reports.

The plane lost thousands of feet in altitude about a minute before making an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, with Flydubai confirming that all passengers were safe.

What happened on the Flydubai flight?

Flydubai said flight FZ 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv experienced an "incident" while en route and landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The aircraft was a Boeing 737 MAX 8.

"The aircraft has landed safely in Tabuk Airport and all passengers are safe and accounted for," a Flydubai spokesperson said.

Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported that authorities were investigating whether one of the pilots had deliberately tried to crash the aircraft, with the other pilot intervening to stop him.

Israeli media said one of the pilots suffered a stab wound. Initial reports had described the incident only as a fight between the two pilots.

The Israeli news portal Ynet reported that the aircraft entered a steep descent and that passengers helped one pilot prevent the other from crashing the plane.

Images published by Israeli outlets appeared to show a passenger with blood on his shirt.

Different outlets have given different nationalities for the pilot and co-pilot, with some saying one was Russian and the other Ukrainian, while others state they were Omani and Emirati. 

Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 initially showed a second Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, FZ1081, diverting back toward Dubai. It later showed the aircraft continuing toward Tel Aviv. There was no immediate explanation for the change.

How far did the plane fall?

Flight tracking data shows the aircraft suddenly losing around half its altitude as it neared Saudi Arabia's border with Jordan.

The plane dropped from nearly 34,000 feet (10,360 meters) at 05:21 GMT/UTC to below 17,000 feet (5,180 meters) at 05:22 GMT/UTC, according to Flightradar data.

Israel's Kan public broadcaster and Channel 12 reported that the Israeli military scrambled fighter jets amid initial fears of a possible hijacking. That possibility was later dismissed, according to the reports.

What have Israeli authorities said?

An unnamed senior Israeli government official told Channel 12 that a major disaster had been averted.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he had held consultations over the incident and was monitoring developments.

"The incident is under control, and all measures are currently being deployed in order to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel," his office said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher