Following an attempted violent incident involving a FlyDubai co-pilot who allegedly tried to crash the aircraft, inquiries regarding his identity and motivations persisted on Thursday. This event unfolded as the flight was nearing Israel from Dubai.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported that the co-pilot attacked the captain by stabbing him and made efforts to take control of the plane. The captain managed to fend off the attack long enough to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to subdue the co-pilot. Notably, two off-duty pilots onboard assisted in regaining control of the aircraft, which subsequently made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Onboard were 174 individuals, and thankfully, no serious injuries were reported among the passengers. However, the captain did sustain stab wounds, and two crew members were taken to the hospital for unspecified injuries. As of Thursday, the co-pilot remains in custody.
The identity of the co-pilot has not yet been disclosed to the public. An official from Oman confirmed to CBS News that the individual was born in Oman and holds Omani citizenship, although the Omani government has not officially acknowledged his nationality.
The motive behind the co-pilot’s alleged actions remains unclear. Netanyahu speculated to CBS News that the incident may resemble a suicide attempt, citing witness statements that indicated the co-pilot attempted to disrupt the aircraft’s systems rather than stabilize it. After being overpowered, the co-pilot reportedly called out for someone to kill him, as shared by Netanyahu during an interview with Fox News.
In the same interview, Netanyahu mentioned that “personal information” gathered during ongoing interrogations led Israeli officials to conclude that the co-pilot may have undergone Islamist radicalization, although he did not provide further details.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz characterized the event as “an attempted jihadist terror attack,” labeling the co-pilot a “terrorist.” Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump suggested a potential link between the co-pilot and Iran, stating, “based on what I’m hearing,” there might be connections, although Netanyahu cautioned that it was “too early to say” if Iran was involved.
An Israeli security official indicated to CBS News that authorities are exploring whether this incident could be akin to a September 11-style attack and whether the co-pilot acted independently. Netanyahu has recently warned of rising security threats to Israel amid ongoing military operations against Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The co-pilot was taken into custody promptly and was reported to be undergoing questioning by Saudi authorities. Netanyahu noted that Israeli officials would participate in the investigation to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident, though he did not specify when this would occur.
It remains unclear whether the inquiries that led to suspicions of the co-pilot’s radicalization were conducted by Saudi or Israeli agencies. A senior Israeli official informed CBS News that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan communicated to Netanyahu that the co-pilot would be transferred to the UAE for further questioning.
As reported by the Associated Press, Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday that the co-pilot had indeed been transferred to the UAE.
