Investigators probe terror link in alleged Flydubai hijacking
Former head of Israel’s National Security Council, Eyal Hulata, analyzes an alleged mid-air attack on a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Israel after an Omani co-pilot stabbed the captain. Hulata details how the captain unlocked the cockpit door, allowing passengers to restrain the suspect before an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
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The FlyDubai co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain of a jetliner mid-flight and nearly causing a catastrophic crash has been grounded by Oman Air in 2024 after the airline discovered he was visiting radical Islamic websites, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Authorities believe the co-pilot moved to Dubai later that year, according to the source, who also told Fox News that the co-pilot had spent a significant part of his life outside of Oman, including with his mother, who was originally from Syria.
According to the source, FlyDubai did not check with Oman Air about the co-pilot before hiring him.
FLYDUBAI PILOT SHOWED THE WORLD “HIGHEST FORM OF COURAGE”, SAYS INDIAN PM
A FlyDubai plane carrying Israelis who suffered an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia is parked at Ben Gurion International Airport, near Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Ariel Schalit/AP)
The new details come as The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing people familiar with the matter, that the Omani national had previously been banned from flying because he espoused radical ideological views before being hired by FlyDubai. The newspaper reported that it was unclear whether Omani officials shared these concerns with other countries or airlines.
Fox News has not independently verified why the co-pilot was grounded by Oman Air.
The alleged attack occurred on Wednesday aboard FlyDubai Flight 1073 as the plane was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
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A plane takes off as a flydubai plane rests on the tarmac at Dubai International Airport, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
According to passengers and officials, the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain inside the cockpit, sending the plane into a steep dive that nearly tore it apart before two reserve pilots aboard the flight regained control and diverted the plane safely to Saudi Arabia. Passengers and crew members then helped subdue the suspect, according to accounts of the incident.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday described the incident as terrorism, saying the attacker had suffered “Islamic radicalization.”
“He came to crush the passengers on board,” Netanyahu said, according to the Wall Street Journal.
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Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot who was allegedly attacked on board a FlyDubai plane bound for Israel on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (Israeli Foreign Ministry)
Netanyahu also said Israeli authorities were investigating whether the suspect acted alone or had help from others.
The United Arab Emirates is leading the investigation into the incident. A UAE spokesperson declined to comment to the Journal on the suspect’s background, saying officials did not want to prejudge the outcome of the investigation or interfere with its progress.
The incident has sparked renewed scrutiny of airline pilot screening procedures and aviation safety on flights serving Israel. Aviation safety analysts told the Journal that the episode represented a significant safety failure and raised questions about how the warning signs could have gone unnoticed before the co-pilot entered the cockpit.
FlyDubai suspended flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv following the attack.
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FlyDubai did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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