Flydubai investigation: 3 countries probe shocking attack
Authorities in three countries have opened a Flydubai investigation into Wednesday’s cockpit attack on Flight FZ1073, in which the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and tried to crash the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv jet. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 30, and everyone aboard survived.
The United Arab Emirates, where the plane is registered, Israel and Saudi Arabia are each examining what happened, Al-Monitor reported. The accused co-pilot, whom authorities have not publicly named, was arrested by Saudi authorities after the landing.
Who is leading the Flydubai investigation
The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority said it is working to “determine the causes and circumstances of the incident,” The National reported. The aircraft’s flight recorders will be examined, and the plane’s rudder was damaged, according to the outlet.
The UAE prosecutor general has also ordered a criminal probe, The Tribune reported. UAE judicial authorities have jurisdiction because the aircraft flies under the UAE flag. The probe will look at motive, possible terrorist links and whether the attack was planned or directed by others.
In Israel, the Mossad and Shin Bet are investigating, and Saudi Arabia is conducting its own inquiry but has not commented publicly, according to Al-Monitor.
Flydubai said “the reasons and motives behind this event are unknown and remain subject to a formal investigation.” The airline has suspended flights to and from Israel while the investigation continues, Al Jazeera reported.
What Israeli leaders have said
“As they were approaching Israel, one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot and apparently attempted to crash the plane with everyone on board,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, according to CBS News.
In a Fox News interview Oct. 1, Netanyahu said of the co-pilot, “We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination.” He also said it was too early to say whether Iran or anyone else was involved, and that investigators would know more within days.
Defense Minister Israel Katz called it “an attempted jihadist terror attack, which was thwarted only thanks to the heroism of several Israeli passengers who broke into the cockpit,” CBS News reported. Israeli officials believe the co-pilot likely acted alone, though the Flydubai investigation is ongoing, according to Al-Monitor. The co-pilot was born in Oman and holds Omani citizenship, CBS News reported.
How the flight unfolded
The plane dropped more than 17,000 feet in about two minutes as it neared Israel, according to flight-tracking data cited by news outlets. Israel’s air force detected the deviation and scrambled fighter jets, CBS News reported.
Passengers and off-duty Flydubai pilots forced their way into the cockpit, subdued the attacker and regained control. “It was the most frightening experience we’ve ever had in our lives,” passenger Ron Levi told CBS News, describing passengers holding hands as the plane lurched. The wounded captain, Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, survived. Both pilots were hospitalized in Saudi Arabia, and the passengers were flown on to Tel Aviv on a replacement aircraft Wednesday night, The National reported.
The emergency landing brought a large group of Israelis onto Saudi soil. The kingdom has no diplomatic relations with Israel and has said it will not normalize ties without a path to a Palestinian state.
What’s next
The Flydubai investigation is still in its early stages, and no charges have been announced. Officials leading the Flydubai investigation are expected to review the flight recorders and the co-pilot’s background. Flydubai has not said when it will resume service to Israel. For more on air travel, see our travel coverage and the latest on United Airlines’ new fares.
