An Omani copilot attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar aboard a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, causing a sharp descent before an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Israeli officials suggest the attacker was radicalized, citing social media posts about killing Jews, and may have intended to crash the aircraft.
The investigation into the shocking cockpit attack aboard a flydubai flight has taken a new turn after an Israeli official claimed that the Omani co-pilot accused of stabbing Indian Captain Smit Machchhar had discussed killing Jews on social media. The revelation comes as authorities examine whether the violent incident was an attempted hijacking, a bid to crash the aircraft or linked to terrorism.
The Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, FZ1073, descended sharply during the mid-air confrontation on Wednesday, September 30. The aircraft, carrying more than 170 people, later made an emergency landing at Tabuk in Saudi Arabia after passengers and crew intervened and helped regain control of the situation.
According to the Israeli official quoted by The Times of Israel, the suspect’s social media accounts allegedly indicated that he had been “radicalized into jihadist ideology” and that he “talks about killing Jews.” The official also claimed that the co-pilot asked Emirati crew members to kill him after the attack.
“This was a person who was willing to commit suicide,” the official said. However, the official stressed that investigators had not yet established the motive with certainty. “We can’t say for sure until the investigation’s over,” the official said, adding that it appeared the suspect may have intended to bring down the aircraft.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu separately said the co-pilot had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination” and suggested that the aircraft may have been targeted for destruction. He also said it was too early to determine whether Iran had any involvement.
Meanwhile, the alleged attacker has been handed over by Saudi Arabia to authorities in the United Arab Emirates as the investigation continues. UAE authorities are examining the cockpit assault and whether there was a deliberate attempt to seize control of the aircraft or crash it.
Captain Machchhar, who was seriously injured in the attack, is recovering. The Indian mission in the UAE said he was “in good health and recovering well.” Investigators are continuing to piece together what happened inside the cockpit and establish the motive behind the incident.