Flydubai Co-Pilot Attempted Terrorist Attack on Israel-Bound Flight, UAE Says

The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted to carry out a “terrorist attack” during the flight, the United ⁠Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday, according to a state news agency.

The UAE statement cited the prosecutor general as saying the co-pilot also tried to take control of the plane during Wednesday’s attack on the Israel-bound flight. Passengers and crew intervened to subdue the co-pilot and stabilise the plane. Officials said the co-pilot’s actions nearly crashed the flight with 182 people on board by sending it into a sharp plunge.

A crash axe is typically kept in the cockpit for ⁠use during emergencies.

The co-pilot had been barred from flying by Oman over concerns he had adopted extremist views, a person familiar with the matter said. He was then hired by the United Arab Emirates-based airline flydubai, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. It was not immediately clear to what extent he was vetted when he was hired. Oman’s barring of him was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The co-pilot was born in the UAE and his mother is Syrian, according to a regional official with knowledge of the investigation.

How the co-pilot managed to be working in the cockpit on Wednesday morning is a central question for investigators. Israel says it has agreements with foreign carriers to keep pilots out of its airspace who come from nations with which it does not maintain diplomatic relations. Israel and Oman do not have formal diplomatic relations.

The official confirmed that the co-pilot worked with Oman’s national airline but was removed from flying because of concerns that he showed signs of extremist views. He was later moved to an administrative job at Oman Air, the official said.

Security agencies from four regional countries were working to establish the co-pilot’s motives, aided by the US and other western governments, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the investigation.

UAE senior diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash on Friday called the attack a “dangerous terrorist act”. The incident is a test for the UAE government, which has earned a reputation for effective measures against extremist activities but has also bristled in the past over criticism of security lapses.

Little else was immediately known about the co-pilot’s background. His Instagram account was active until the day of the flight and then deleted.

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Friday said the co-pilot had undergone “Islamist radicalisation” but provided no evidence.

The captain, who was badly wounded, has said he used his remaining energy while being stabbed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing people who had noticed loud noises to come in, tackle the co-pilot and stabilise the plane. It made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

Both the captain and co-pilot were taken to the UAE as it leads the investigation. Officials have said a number of countries including Israel are participating.