UAE launches flydubai hijacking and terrorism investigation
Authorities are examining whether the cockpit attack was premeditated or terror-related after passengers and crew subdued the suspect and landed the plane safely.
- On Wednesday, an Omani Flydubai copilot allegedly stabbed the captain of Flight FZ1073, forcing an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Israeli authorities are investigating how the suspect received security approval to operate flights bound for Tel Aviv.
- Reports reveal dozens of Omani pilots working for Flydubai have landed in Israel in recent years, raising serious questions about security screening. Traditionally, Israeli authorities focused screening efforts on passengers and luggage rather than flight crews.
- Carrying 174 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv, the aircraft plunged around 14,000 feet during the attack. The injured captain resisted the copilot long enough for passengers and crew members to intervene and regain control.
- Israeli officials classified the incident as a terrorist attack, with The Mossad and Shin Bet leading the investigation. Netanyahu said Thursday that authorities are "taking care of" security gaps in pilot-vetting standards.
- Experts note the underlying 1944 treaty creates a "relatively soft obligation" for international assistance in aviation security. Security adviser Dave Komendat said preflight screening for crews should "mirror very closely what a passenger goes through.
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233 Articles
Anwar Gargash, diplomatic advisor to the president of the United Arab Emirates, called the incident on the Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv a "terrorist act."
After the violent incident in the cockpit of a Flydubai flyer, the motive is still being searched. Israel wants to question the arrested copilot.
Aviation security measures under new scrutiny after in-flight attack on FlyDubai pilot
The alleged stabbing of captain by his co-pilot on a FlyDubai flight bound for Tel Aviv has exposed potential gaps in crew screening, cockpit security and emergency response protocols. Investigators from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Israel, with assistance from the US and Oman, are examining the incident, including pilot vetting, the handling of distress calls and how the crew member was cleared to operate the Israel-bound flight.
Security failure exposed: Dozens of pilots from hostile states allowed to fly into Tel Aviv
The attempt to crash a Flydubai flight carrying nearly 180 Israelis has exposed a major gap in Israel’s aviation security, with Channel 12 reporting that dozens of Omani pilots were allowed to fly into Israel despite rules barring pilots from countries without diplomatic relations with Jerusalem. The flight’s Omani copilot allegedly stabbed the captain and […]
Investigation into copilot continues after midair stabbing on FlyDubai flight
NPR's Michel Martin speaks to Philip Mudd, a former FBI and CIA counterterrorism official, about the investigation into the FlyDubai copilot suspected of trying to crash a plane bound for Israel.
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