First Thing: Details Remain Unclear After ‘Terror Attack’ on Dubai-Israel Flight
Investigators are examining whether terrorism or mental illness played a role after the captain was stabbed and the jet plunged 15,000 feet in about a minute.
- On Wednesday, a FlyDubai co-pilot stabbed the Indian captain mid-flight, forcing the Boeing 737 Max 8 carrying 174 people from the United Arab Emirates to plummet 15,000 feet before landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- Despite being badly wounded, Indian captain Smit Machchhar fought back and opened the cockpit door, enabling passengers to overpower the attacker and stabilize the descent toward the Jordanian border.
- Saudi authorities arrested the Omani co-pilot, while the United Arab Emirates government launched an investigation into "whether it was linked to any terrorist purpose," and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Israel will join the interrogation.
- President Donald Trump told reporters he discussed the incident "at length" with Netanyahu, suggesting the co-pilot "was perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack job," while Netanyahu told CNN that Israel had received no specific warning.
- The incident occurred as the country approaches the anniversary of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza, amid recent warnings from Netanyahu about heightened security threats.
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14 Articles
New Details Emerge in Attempted Hijack on Israel-Bound Plane
New details about the pilot stabbing on a flight headed to Israel reveal the plane plummeted thousands of feet before passengers managed to take control. Senior Israeli and Saudi Officials briefed on the investigation saying the attack increasingly looks like an act of terrorism. NBC’s Matt Bradley reports and Tom Winter, who covers law and intelligence, joins TODAY with analysis on the investigation.
Attacker's Motive Remains Unknown After FlyDubai Flight to Israel Escapes Disaster
JERUSALEM (AP) — The motive of the Omani copilot who stabbed his captain on a flight to Israel, causing the plane to plummet dangerously and forcing it to land in Saudi Arabia, remained unknown on Thursday as investigators across the region raced to learn more. Israeli passengers who were on the FlyDubai aircraft carrying 174 people from the United Arab Emirates to Tel Aviv have described how the bloodied Indian captain managed to open the cockp…
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