Hijacking attempt on Flydubai flight: Omani pilot linked to terrorism probe
An Omani pilot attacked his co-pilot mid-air on a Dubai-to-Israel flight. The UAE and Israel are investigating possible links to terrorist activity and Iran.
Omani pilot suspected in Flydubai hijack attempt faces terrorism investigation
Toronto Sun Crime reports that very little is publicly known about the pilot accused of attacking his captain and attempting to seize control of a Flydubai flight Wednesday, en route from Dubai to Israel.
The suspect, an Omani national, has been medically cleared to travel and was being flown to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, according to CNN, which cited Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry. Saudi authorities have not yet released his name.
The man is accused of stabbing Indian co-pilot Smit Machchhar mid-air while attempting to take over the aircraft's controls, causing chaos among the 180 passengers on board. Israel is expected to play a significant role in the ongoing investigation.
CNN reported the suspect had been employed by the airline for eight months before the attack.
A fellow pilot who spoke to Israel's Channel 16, in comments translated for the report, described the attacker as "someone characterized by very strange behaviour, especially around religious observances that were out of step with his surroundings." The same source said the suspect prayed multiple times a day and refused to shake hands with women.
The unnamed pilot also alleged that the airline was negligent, pointing to a protocol stating that flights to Israel are to be operated only by Emirati or Indian pilots. "There's no other way to put it — we hired a terrorist," the pilot, who requested anonymity, told the outlet.
The UAE has launched an investigation to determine whether the incident is linked to "terrorist activity." Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN it was too early to speculate whether Iran was behind the attempted hijacking, though he later told Fox News that the suspect "underwent Islamist radical indoctrination." U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News that Iran may also be connected to the attacker.
Officials confirmed the captain was stabbed during the struggle, but no details about the weapon used have been released. Netanyahu stated the pilot was either stabbed or struck with an axe. Israel's prime minister suggested the attacker may have bypassed a metal detector, potentially allowing him to bring a weapon on board. Aviation safety rules also require aircraft to carry a crash axe.
Source: Toronto Sun Crime