Stories
Flydubai Co-Pilot Accused of Attempted Hijack Was Banned by Oman Over Radicalization Concerns
- •A flydubai co-pilot from Oman, accused of attempting to hijack a passenger aircraft carrying Israelis and stabbing Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar, was previously banned from flying by Omani authorities due to alleged radicalization concerns.
- •The co-pilot allegedly stabbed Captain Machchhar on flight FZ1073 on September 30 and tried to take control of the Dubai-Tel Aviv route aircraft, leading to an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- •Senior intelligence and law enforcement officials stated the co-pilot was suspended by Oman Air after being identified as a security risk and found with extremist material in 2024.
- •Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the suspect underwent ‘Islamist radical indoctrination’ and intended to crash the plane, with investigations ongoing into whether he was sent by others.
- •The co-pilot is reportedly cooperating with authorities, indicating his intent was to crash the aircraft in Israel, and Israeli officials are expected to question him in the UAE.
Key Questions Answered
The co-pilot was suspended from flying by Oman Air in 2024 after being identified as a security risk and found in possession of extremist material during his training. Although barred from pilot duties, he was permitted to remain with Oman Air in an administrative capacity before eventually being employed by flydubai.
On flight FZ1073 operating on the Dubai-Tel Aviv route, the Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar and attempted to take control of the aircraft with the intent of crashing it. The plane made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where Saudi authorities detained the suspect before transferring him to the UAE.
Following the mid-air incident involving the co-pilot, flydubai suspended all flights from Dubai to Tel Aviv pending an ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, investigators are examining his background, potential extremist indoctrination, and how he managed to secure a position as a first officer on a flight headed to Israel.
