Stories
Omani Blunder in Hijacking: Why Did Israel Point Fingers at UAE?
- •An Omani co-pilot attempted to crash Flydubai flight FZ1073, carrying 185 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv, by attacking the Indian captain with a knife.
- •Israel questioned the UAE, asking 'How was permission granted?' given the lack of diplomatic relations between Oman and Israel.
- •Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev called the incident a major security compromise and demanded an immediate review of the UAE-Israel Aviation Agreement.
- •According to Israeli media, the air agreement between the UAE and Israel has strict rules, allowing only pilots with passports from countries having official diplomatic relations with Israel to enter Israeli airspace.
- •The aircraft plummeted 14,000 feet in 30 seconds during a violent struggle in the cockpit, leading to an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
Key Questions Answered
Israel questioned how an Omani national was permitted to operate a sensitive flight heading directly to Israel, given that Oman and Israel have no diplomatic relations. Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev demanded an immediate review of the UAE-Israel Aviation Agreement and suspended Flydubai flights to Israel following the major security breach.
The Omani co-pilot attacked the main Indian captain with a knife and attempted to crash the aircraft, causing the Boeing 737 to plummet 14,000 feet in just 30 seconds. During the bloody struggle, the flight triggered emergency codes including 'Squawk 7700' and the hijacking code 'Squawk 7500' before passengers and crew managed to restrain the attacker and divert to Saudi Arabia.
Investigative agencies are exploring two main theories: whether the co-pilot held dual nationality with a passport from a country with diplomatic ties to Israel allowing him to bypass checks, or whether Flydubai committed gross negligence by assigning a citizen from a hostile nation without proper background verification.
