Stories
Flydubai Co-Pilot Banned by Oman Over Radical Views Before Stabbing Incident
- •A Flydubai co-pilot, accused of stabbing his captain, was previously banned from flying in Oman due to concerns about his radical ideological views, according to The Wall Street Journal.
- •The Omani national was later hired by Flydubai and was serving as first officer on the Dubai-Tel Aviv route when the September 30 attack occurred.
- •ABC News reported that the co-pilot was suspended from flying by Oman Air after being identified as a security risk and allegedly found with extremist material during his trainee period in 2024.
- •The reports raise questions about how the co-pilot was cleared to fly for Flydubai and ended up in the cockpit of a flight to Israel.
- •The suspect is cooperating with investigators and reportedly indicated an intent to crash the aircraft in Israel, though this remains unconfirmed.
Key Questions Answered
The Omani national had been banned from flying by Oman over concerns regarding his radical ideological views and for being identified as a security risk. Reports indicated he was previously working as a co-pilot trainee at Oman Air in 2024 when he was allegedly found with extremist material.
The co-pilot allegedly stabbed his captain while serving as first officer on a flight carrying more than 170 people to Israel. Passengers and crew members intervened to stop the attack, and the aircraft was safely diverted to Tabuk.
The United Arab Emirates is leading the ongoing investigation, with Saudi authorities having conducted preliminary inquiries and Israeli investigators also participating. Officials are examining the co-pilot's background, motives, and whether he had any outside links.
