Flydubai flight diverted: inspired by the attacks of September 11, 2001, the co-pilot planned a suicide attack on Tel Aviv airport

An Omani co-pilot for the Flydubai airline planned to hijack a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 and crash it into a terminal at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel in a suicide attack. His plan was foiled by the pilot who accompanied him, the Attorney General of the United Arab Emirates announced on Friday, cited by the official WAM news agency.

According to Emirati investigators, the project was inspired by the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. The investigation, opened on October 1, established that the suspect, who assured investigators that he had acted alone, had made two previous flights to Tel Aviv in order to “familiarize himself with the flight route and the airport,” WAM reported.

The incident caused a sudden fall of the aircraft, which lost approximately 4,900 meters of altitude in just 30 seconds. The Attorney General also indicated that the suspect had worked for several airlines in different countries, including Oman Air and Royal Air Maroc, before joining Flydubai in January 2026, and met all the security requirements required for employment.