Israeli passengers leave the FlyDubai plane after touching down in Tel Aviv, on September 30, 2026. © Ariel Schalit, AP
The United Arab Emirates on Thursday launched an investigation into the Israel-bound FlyDubai FZ1073 flight from Dubai in which a copilot allegedly stabbed his captain in an apparent attempt to crash the plane. The UAE’s chief prosecutor said the possibility of a terror link will be probed. Follow our liveblog for all the latest developments.
Netanyahu alleges FlyDubai co-pilot underwent ‘Islamist radical indoctrination’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alleged the co-pilot who tried to crash the FlyDubai passenger jet on its way to Israel had undergone ‘Islamist’ radicalization.
“We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination,” Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News. He did not provide any evidence to support the claim.
He also told “Fox & Friends” he would be able to say within a matter of days whether the FlyDubai co-pilot had connections to Iran.
Fifth person to get Israeli ‘heroism’ award
Israel’s presidential office has added a fifth person to the list of people who will receive “heroism” awards for stopping the FlyDubai attacker.
Isaac Herzog’s office initially announced four award winners but later announced a fifth, Tali Manes, whose husband was among the originally named recipients.
Manes, his office said, heard the commotion in the cockpit and was the first to alert passengers and call for help.
How did the alleged attacker get a knife onboard?
One of the main questions surrounding the incident is how anyone – especially a pilot –was able to get a knife onboard. It is unclear how big the knife was or if it even was a knife.
In an interview with Fox News Channel on Wednesday night, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker might have hit the captain with an axe. Airlines are generally required to carry crash axes in the cockpit for use in an emergency to break open a window to escape or break open a panel to access a fire.
Pilots undergo rigorous screening, including passing through metal detectors, at checkpoints at all airports. It is also standard for airlines to vet their pilots’ background for criminal and employment history, their physical and mental health, as well as having them undergo intelligence and security screening
In addition to that, Israel has some of the most stringent airline security measures worldwide. Passengers on Israel-bound flights regularly are taken aside for questioning and baggage searches after passing through normal airport security. It is unclear whether the pilots of the FlyDubai flight had been screened as vigorously.
UAE probes possible ‘terror’ link
The United Arab Emirates is probing a possible “terrorist” link in the FlyDubai case.
The UAE’s chief prosecutor said an investigation had been launched into the incident, including the possibility of “terrorist activity or intent”.
Modi hails Indian pilot’s courage
Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO.
In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others.
His valor helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy.
Israel president to present ‘heroism’ awards to 4 FlyDubai passengers
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he would present “heroism” awards to four Israelis who helped overpower the FlyDubai co-pilot and prevented him from crashing the plane they were on.
“You put yourselves at risk to save others and prevented a terrible disaster. Today, the whole world saw the beautiful and courageous face of Israeli society,” Herzog, who holds a largely ceremonial role, said in a statement.
Attacker’s identity and motive remain unknown
The identity and motive of the Omani copilot who stabbed his captain remains unknown for the time being.
Netanyahu : it’s too early to say,” if there is an Iranian involvement
In a CNN interview aired on Wednesday evening, Netanyahu said the arrested attacker was an Omani national and was being interrogated in Saudi Arabia. Asked if there is any indication of Iranian involvement, Netanyahu told Fox News “it’s too early to say.” The prime minister told CNN that Israel had received no specific warning.
US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he and Netanyahu discussed the incident “at length” by phone and it seemed as though the copilot “was perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack job.”
Netanyahu had warned in recent days of unspecified, heightened security threats. The country is a week away from the anniversary of the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which has triggered the war in Gaza.
Saudi Arabia turned down Israeli requests to send planes to retrieve passengers, source says
Saudi Arabia turned down multiple requests by Israel to send its own military planes to retrieve passengers from the diverted flight, a Saudi source with knowledge of the matter told AFP.
“They asked to send military warplanes. Two or three direct to Tabuk airport,” the source said. “Turned down.” “Then asked to send [El Al] commercial one. Turned down as well.”
The message was communicated through the UAE and not directly with the Israelis.
The source said the kingdom fulfilled its “international obligation” and assisted the passengers of the flight after they made the emergency landing, emphasizing that nationality of the travelers had no impact on their decision. “We were to act the same way, regardless of the nationalities of flydubai passengers.”
UAE prosecutor general orders investigation into diverted FlyDubai flight
The UAE prosecutor general has ordered an investigation into the incident aboard FlyDubai flight FZ1073, the state news agency reported.
The investigation will examine the circumstances and motives, including whether it was linked to any militant activity or involved prior planning or direction.
UAE judicial authorities have jurisdiction over the incident because the aircraft is registered in the UAE and flies under its flag, the statement said, adding that UAE law applies to crimes committed on board “even if they occur outside the country’s territory”.
Netanyahu says pilot of rerouted flight tried to crash plane
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pilot of the FlyDubai flight had tried to crash the plane and kill its passengers.
Passengers gave a similar account of the incident on board, describing a fight for control after the plane suddenly plummeted, losing around 17,000 feet of altitude in the span of a minute, according to the Flightradar24 website.
Like a ‘rollercoaster’: passengers describe harrowing FlyDubai flight
As Flight FZ 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv approached the Jordanian border on Wednesday, passengers knew in an instant that something was wrong when the plane began plummeting from the sky in a rapid dive.
It was like “we were having very big turbulence, but there was no turbulence”, passenger Almog Italie told AFP, describing the sensation of losing thousands of feet of altitude in seconds as similar to riding a “rollercoaster”.
FlyDubai temporarily suspends flights to and from Israel
FlyDubai said its flights to and from Israel would be suspended while an investigation into the incident takes place.
What to know about the September 30 FlyDubai flight
A FlyDubai flight from the United Arab Emirates to Israel was on Wednesday derouted to Dubai for an emergency landing after the copilot allegedly stabbed his pilot in an apparent bid to crash the plane.
The distress call came at 8:44am local time, about two and a half hours into the flight. It had some 170, mainly Israeli, passengers onboard.
The aircraft then swiftly lost altitude – dropping around 10,000 metres to 5,100 metres in the span of about a minute. It then circled close to the Jordanian border before landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, about an hour later.
Aviation experts said they were surprised that the plane did not crash after a descent so extreme that most of the rudder was ripped off the tail.
According to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a passenger and a crew member managed to enter the cockpit, enabling other crew members to fly the plane to a safe landing.
Both pilots suffered injuries that required hospital treatment. Netanyahu said one of the pilots has been arrested by Saudi Arabia.
(FRANCE 24 with AP, AFP, Reuters)
