Co-pilot who stabbed flight commander to Israel had been banned from flying in Oman for 'radical' views, says newspaper

Co-pilot who stabbed flight commander to Israel had been banned from flying in Oman for 'radical' views, says newspaper

According to the Wall Street Journal, despite the ban, the man was hired by the company FlyDubai. Flight was diverted to Saudi Arabia, and co-pilot was arrested.

By g1 Editorial

The co-pilot who stabbed the FlyDubai commander had already been banned from flying in Oman due to radicalization. The revelation took place this Friday (2).

Even under restrictions, he was hired by FlyDubai to fly to Israel. It is unclear whether Omani authorities have previously shared their concerns.

The attack took place this Wednesday (30) with 174 people on board. The co-pilot stabbed the commander over Jordan and tried to crash the aircraft.

The plane plummeted 4,300 meters within 30 seconds after the attack began. The case is treated as terrorism and experts point out a security breach.

The co-pilot who stabbed the captain of a FlyDubai flight had already been banned from flying in Oman, the Wall Street Journal revealed this Friday (2). The ban was ordered after authorities in the country identified possible ideological radicalization.

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Even after the restriction, the pilot was hired by FlyDubai and began operating, among other routes, the flight connecting the United Arab Emirates to Israel. The information was obtained by the newspaper from people familiar with the case.

According to the Wall Street Journal, it is unclear whether Omani authorities communicated concerns about the pilot to other countries or airlines. It is also unknown what type of radicalization motivated the ban.

▶️ FlyDubai and the Oman government did not respond to the newspaper's requests for comment.

FlyDubai plane with passengers who were on the target aircraft approaches Tel Aviv airport, on September 30, 2026 — Photo: Ammar Awad/Reuters

The case happened during a FlyDubai flight that was heading from Dubai to Tel Aviv, on Wednesday (30). In total, 174 people were on board the plane. The flight plummeted to around 4,300 meters in 30 seconds.

When the aircraft was close to Israel and flying over Jordan, the co-pilot stabbed the pilot. According to Israeli authorities, the attacker tried to take control of the plane and wanted to bring it down. He ended up being restrained by passengers and crew.

The flight was diverted and landed safely in Saudi Arabia. The copilot was arrested and said he acted alone. The causes of the attack are being investigated.

The episode was treated as terrorism by authorities in Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the attacker had undergone a process of Islamic radicalization and that he intended to crash the aircraft.

Aviation security experts interviewed by the Wall Street Journal classified the episode as a significant security breach.

According to analysts, even if a weapon managed to get through airport controls, a person considered a threat should, in theory, be identified before reaching the cabin of an airplane.

The attack also raised questions about the exchange of information between authorities in different countries and airlines when there are concerns about a pilot's conduct or record.

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Simulation shows what happened to the FlyDubai flight that was heading to Israel after the co-pilot attacked the pilot with a knife. — Photo: Editoria de Arte/g1

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