- Omani co-pilot allegedly tried to crash a flydubai flight.
- He reportedly stabbed captain, interfering with aircraft controls.
- Passengers, crew restrained attacker; plane landed safely in Saudi.
- Incident investigated as possible terror attack; motive remains unclear.
The Omani pilot accused of trying to crash a flydubai flight bound for Israel has been described as a “religious extremist” by a fellow pilot, The Times of Israel reported.
Speaking to Israel’s Channel 16, the pilot claimed the Omani national had joined flydubai just eight months ago. “He prayed excessively throughout the day and refused to shake hands with women,” the pilot said, according to the report.
The claims come as authorities investigate the incident involving flight FZ1073, which was carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children. The flight was diverted to Saudi Arabia after an apparent cockpit attack, with the aircraft experiencing a sharp loss of altitude before making an emergency landing.
Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft descending rapidly after the incident. Reuters reported that the plane plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds, while other accounts cited a larger altitude loss over a longer period. The exact sequence of events remains under investigation.
From Cockpit Attack To Emergency Landing
According to accounts cited by The Times of Israel, the Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar and then attempted to prevent access to the cockpit while interfering with the aircraft’s controls. Israeli officials have described the incident as an attempted attack, while the precise motive has not been conclusively established.
Passenger Yaniv Hayoun recalled hearing screams before the aircraft suddenly plunged. He and other passengers then entered the cockpit, where Hayoun said he saw the attacker apparently attempting to interfere with the controls. He grabbed the man and pulled him away from them.
Other passengers and crew members joined in restraining the attacker. Hayoun said he then took hold of the controls and attempted to stabilise the aircraft before the flight crew regained control. The plane was subsequently diverted and landed safely at Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.
Despite being seriously injured, Captain Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, enabling passengers and crew to overpower the attacker. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu credited the Indian captain with helping save all 174 people on board.
The alleged attacker, identified by Israeli sources as an Omani national, was taken into custody by Saudi authorities. The incident is being investigated as a possible terrorist attack, but authorities have yet to establish a definitive motive or whether the suspect acted alone.
Questions have also been raised over how an Omani national was cleared to operate a flight to Israel, given that Oman does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. However, details surrounding the pilot’s clearance and the circumstances of his assignment remain part of the ongoing investigation.
