Payam Javan: The United Arab Emirates prosecutor general announced on Saturday that the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted to carry out a terrorist attack during a flight earlier in the week. According to state news agency WAM, the official statement marks the first time Emirati authorities have officially described the mid-air incident in such terms. The flight, which was carrying more than 170 passengers and crew members, faced severe danger when the co-pilot launched an assault inside the cockpit.
According to the prosecutor general, the co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe, a standard emergency tool kept within the cockpit, in an attempt to seize control of the aircraft. Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 indicated that the plane dropped approximately 16,625 feet in just over 30 seconds while flying over Saudi Arabian airspace. The sudden and violent maneuver occurred on the route connecting the UAE to Israel, which is a popular travel corridor for Israeli nationals.
Disaster was ultimately averted thanks to the swift intervention of passengers and crew members who managed to subdue the aggressive co-pilot. A reserve flydubai pilot who happened to be traveling on the aircraft then stepped in to take control of the plane. The flight was safely diverted and landed at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where local authorities immediately detained the suspect.
Investigations into the incident are currently ongoing, with authorities working to determine the exact circumstances, underlying motives, and potential connections to external groups. Officials are examining both physical and digital evidence gathered from the flight and the suspect. Additionally, reports indicate that international cooperation is underway, with Israeli investigators participating alongside Emirati authorities in the ongoing UAE-led probe.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that his government is actively examining whether the co-pilot acted under outside direction, warning that any responsible parties would face severe consequences. Netanyahu previously remarked that the suspect, identified by Israeli officials as an Omani national, appeared to have undergone radical Islamist indoctrination and exhibited suicidal tendencies, although a definitive motive remains unconfirmed.
Representatives for flydubai stated that the overall circumstances surrounding the event remain under active investigation by regional authorities. Due to the ongoing nature of these legal and security proceedings, the airline spokesperson noted that the company was not in a position to provide further detailed comments at this time. The security community continues to monitor the investigation closely to understand how the breach occurred.
