Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that preliminary investigations into the attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight suggest the attacker underwent “Islamist radical indoctrination.” Speaking to Fox News, Netanyahu indicated it was “very likely” the Omani national, who stabbed a fellow pilot and forced the aircraft to descend sharply, intended to bring the plane down.
The incident occurred on Wednesday during Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Two hours into the journey, the aircraft plunged more than 17,000ft (5,200m). Passengers and crew eventually overpowered the assailant, retook control, and safely landed the plane at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
Netanyahu described the attacker’s behavior after being subdued as further evidence of suicidal intent. “He was calling out to the aircrew ‘kill me, kill me,’ so it’s clear he was suicidal, that’s not a question,” the Prime Minister said. He added that when combined with the radicalization found in the attacker’s background, these factors provide strong clues, though he cautioned against making final conclusions before the investigation is complete.
When asked about potential Iranian involvement, Netanyahu replied that it was too early to determine any link. Israeli security sources told BBC Arabic that a separate investigation led by Mossad has interviewed passengers and concluded that the attacker likely intended to crash the aircraft.
The United Arab Emirates has also launched an investigation to determine if the attack was linked to terrorist activities. Although the co-pilot, Indian national Captain Smit Machchhar, is currently being questioned in Saudi Arabia, UAE officials maintain jurisdiction because the aircraft is registered in the UAE. The attacker was arrested in Saudi Arabia and is expected to be transferred to the UAE.
Captain Machchhar was praised as a “hero” by both Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his bravery. India’s ambassador to the UAE, Deepak Mittal, visited the pilot in the hospital on Thursday and reported that Machchhar is in good health and recovering well.
In response to the incident, Flydubai has suspended all flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv pending its own investigation. This aligns with directives from Israel’s Transportation Ministry. Meanwhile, Israeli carriers including El Al, Israir, and Arkia have arranged rescue flights to repatriate stranded passengers starting Friday. The ministry has also requested that Etihad Airlines increase flight capacity between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv.
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