Reports: Flydubai Co-Pilot In Attack On Tel Aviv Flight Was Previously Banned From Flying In Oman Over Radical Views

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Omani co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain of a flydubai jet bound for Tel Aviv and trying to crash the plane had earlier been barred from flying in his home country over concerns about radical views, according to reports published Friday.

The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that Omani authorities had banned the first officer from flying because of worries he had adopted radical ideological views. It was not clear whether those concerns were passed to flydubai before the airline hired him, the Journal reported. A United Arab Emirates spokesperson declined to comment, saying officials did not want to prejudge the investigation. ​

Separately, Fox News, citing a source familiar with the matter, reported that Oman Air grounded him in 2024 after finding he had been visiting radical Islamic websites, and that flydubai did not check with Oman Air before hiring him. ABC News, citing senior intelligence and law enforcement officials, reported he was identified as a security risk while a co-pilot trainee at Oman Air in 2024 after being found with extremist material, and was later kept on in an administrative role. ​

The attack occurred Wednesday aboard Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv. About two hours into the trip, the co-pilot allegedly stabbed Indian Capt. Smit Machchhar in the cockpit. The aircraft plunged more than 17,000 feet before passengers and crew forced their way forward, overpowered the attacker and helped other pilots on board regain control.

The jet diverted to Tabuk, in northwestern Saudi Arabia, and landed safely. Nearly all of the roughly 180 people aboard were Israeli. Machchhar, wounded in the struggle, managed to open the cockpit door, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called him a hero. The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said the captain was in stable condition. Passenger Yaniv Hayun has been credited with helping steady the aircraft during the descent. ​

Netanyahu said Thursday that the attacker had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination” and that it looked “very likely” he meant to bring the plane down. An Israeli official told The Times of Israel that the co-pilot’s social media accounts showed jihadist radicalization and included talk of killing Jews. Netanyahu also said that, after he was subdued, the suspect asked crew members to kill him. ​

ABC News reported the suspect, transferred Thursday from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates, has been cooperating and has indicated his intent was to crash the aircraft in Israel. Israeli officials have said the early assessment is that he acted alone. The UAE is leading the investigation. ​

The case has reopened questions about screening on the Dubai-Tel Aviv route. Oman has no diplomatic relations with Israel. Israeli officials have said pilots from countries without ties to Israel generally are not supposed to fly into the country, though reports this week said enforcement of that rule had been left largely to the airlines. Transportation Minister Miri Regev ordered a review of flydubai operations after the attack.

flydubai and Omani authorities had not publicly confirmed the earlier grounding as of Friday evening.