UAE Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced. The co-pilot planned to crash the plane at the airport

United Arab Emirates (UAE) Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi shared with the public the new findings obtained in the investigation into the attempted attack on Flydubai airline flight FZ1073, flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30.

According to the statement conveyed by the UAE official news agency WAM, it was determined that the purpose of the 29-year-old Omani co-pilot was to take control of the plane and carry out a suicide attack on the passenger terminal of Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.

It was stated that the attacker aimed to cause the death of as many people as possible.

The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced that the suspect began to be influenced by radical views while he was studying in Australia in 2017.

According to the suspect's statement, it was stated that he planned to carry out a similar action, inspired by the attacks in the USA on September 11, 2001, and that he turned to the pilot profession for this purpose.

During the investigation, it was determined that the suspect examined the route and airport during his two previous flights to Tel Aviv, and put his plan into action on his third flight on September 30.

The UAE Attorney General's Office stated that the suspect joined Flydubai in January 2026 and met the necessary professional and security requirements during the recruitment process.

It was reported that the pilot's license, criminal record certificate and other checks were examined, but no signs of the suspect's radical views or attack plan were found during this process.

On the other hand, Associated Press and ABC News had previously reported that the suspect was suspended from flight duty due to his radical views while working at Oman-based Oman Air.

According to the findings of the investigation, the co-pilot attacked the captain pilot with an emergency ax in the cockpit during the flight.

After the injured captain resisted and tried to call for help, other pilots, cabin crew and some passengers who were passengers on the plane neutralized the attacker.

The plane, whose control was regained, made an emergency landing at the airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. While the passengers escaped uninjured, it was reported that the captain pilot suffered a head injury.

The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced that the suspect, in his statement before his lawyer, admitted that he planned the attack alone, but that the investigation of possible connections is continuing.

On the other hand, according to Reuters, Saudi Arabia launched a separate investigation to examine the aviation security aspect of the incident. The review will evaluate possible deficiencies in flight safety procedures and cockpit security.