Flydubai pilot admits to planning to crash plane in Israel
Quick Look
- The pilot suspected of attacking a colleague on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has admitted he wanted to crash the plane in Israel.
- Omani authorities previously banned him from flying because of his radical views, but he was hired by Flydubai.
- The plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a fight between the pilots, during which one stabbed the other.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The pilot, an Omani national, had previously been banned from flying by Omani authorities due to his radical views and the discovery of extremist material, but was hired by Flydubai. On a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, a fight broke out between the pilots, one of whom stabbed the other and expressed his intention to crash the plane in Israel.
The pilot suspected of attacking a colleague on a Flydubai flight admitted that he wanted to crash the plane in Israel, ABC reported, citing sources.
Earlier, the Wall Street Journal, citing sources, wrote that the Omani authorities banned this pilot from flying because of his radical views. According to sources, the pilot, an Omani citizen, was hired by Flydubai despite the ban. However, the material does not specify whether Oman shared concerns about his radicalization with other countries or airlines. The publication also does not specify what specific radical views the pilot is talking about.
"The suspect... is 'cooperating' with authorities investigating the incident, and he made it clear that he intended to crash the plane in Israel," a publication on the channel's website said, citing sources familiar with the investigation.
As ABC notes, the suspect had previously been found with extremist materials, after which he was allowed to continue working for the airline in an administrative position in Oman.
On Wednesday, a Flydubai plane en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv signaled an emergency and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The airline later confirmed that a fight broke out between the pilots during the flight. Later, information appeared in the media that one of the pilots injured the second with a knife and tried to cause a plane crash.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
An international investigation will be conducted into the incident involving Oman, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Israel
Likely · Within weeks
Flydubai to tighten background and mental health screening procedures for pilots when hiring
Very likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What kind of radical views did the pilot have?
- Has Oman shared information about the pilot's radicalization with other countries or airlines?
- How did Flydubai check the pilot's background when hiring?
- Did the pilot have accomplices or supporters of his plan?
