On Wednesday, rumors regarding an attempted hijacking of a FlyDubai aircraft began making the rounds online.
The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has since denied the rumors but confirmed an incident involving a "disruptive passenger" on board of the low-cost airline.
The flight, en-route from Dubai to Kabul, was forced to turn back to Dubai to make an emergency landing.
One report that surfaced online claimed that the passenger was in possession of a knife and threatened crew as he attempted to enter the cockpit.
FlyDubai confirmed an incident occurred but denied a "hijacking." However, there was no refutation of any specific rumor that surfaced.
"[Flight] FZ301 from Dubai to Kabul returned to Dubai as there was a disruptive passenger onboard. The disruptive passenger was met by the relevant authorities on the aircraft's arrival," a spokesperson told Gulf News.
Emirates News Agency (WAM) also denied the hijacking of the aircraft in a series of tweets posted to its official account.
"WAM denies hijacking of the FlyDubai aircraft over Iranian airspace," the news agency wrote in a tweet.
"FlyDubai have confirmed an incident onboard the aircraft today"
Upon landing, the passenger was met by the relevant authorities
"The accidental incident happened as a result of a behavior of one of the passengers who was detained by the competent authorities upon the arrival of the plane to the airport," said Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of the GCAA, according to The National.
Not the first flight to make an "emergency landing" in the Arab world this week
On Monday, a video capturing the moment a Saudia flight - also known as Saudi Arabian Airlines - made an emergency landing at King Abdul Aziz Airport in Jeddah, went viral on social media.
The aircraft, en route from Madinah to Dhaka, was carrying 151 passengers, according to the kingdom's Aviation Investigation Bureau (AIB).
It was forced to divert after a malfunction in its hydraulic system. The pilot, who is now being hailed for averting a potential catastrophe, had circled the plane over the city for several hours after realizing its landing gear failed to launch.
In an official statement, AIB said the incident left 53 passengers injured, adding that they have now been transferred for treatment and medical check-ups.