▲ The damaged vertical stabilizer on the tail of the flydubai passenger plane that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Captured from social media X, Yonhap News)
Investigations are getting underway into the mid-air disturbance on a flydubai passenger plane carrying 174 passengers from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), to Israel.
Investigators are expected to focus on uncovering the motives and background of the Omani co-pilot, who stabbed the captain with a weapon in the cockpit and sent the aircraft into a steep dive.
According to Reuters, AP, and other news agencies on October 1 (local time), the UAE's attorney general ordered an investigation into the disturbance on flydubai flight FZ1073, which made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
The UAE maintains that because the aircraft is registered in its country, it holds jurisdiction even though the incident occurred outside its borders.
Investigative authorities are focusing their efforts on extracting the Omani co-pilot's motive and specific details of the incident.
In particular, they plan to closely examine whether the disturbance is linked to the activities of a specific armed group, or if there was prior planning or orders behind the act.
Israeli investigators will join the interrogation of the co-pilot, who is currently being investigated in Saudi Arabia.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached the agreement following a phone call with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
With a large number of Israeli passengers on board, authorities are on high alert regarding any terror links to the incident, which occurred ahead of the third anniversary of the outbreak of the Gaza war (October 7).
Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that it was "too early to say" regarding potential Iranian involvement, while U.S. President Donald Trump expressed skepticism, calling the perpetrator "either a terrorist or a madman."
About two hours after taking off from Dubai International Airport, at around 9:00 AM the previous day, the passenger plane transmitted "Code 7700," an emergency signal sent when severe threats to flight operations occur, such as mechanical defects, engine failure, fires, or serious medical emergencies involving passengers.
However, a short time later, the aircraft changed and transmitted its signal to "Code 7500," which indicates hijacking or unlawful interference.
While the exact details of the incident are still being ascertained, accounts from passengers indicate that an alarming situation unfolded as the Omani co-pilot attacked Indian Captain Smit Machar with a weapon.
The co-pilot, who stabbed the captain, pushed the aircraft's nose down in an intentional attempt to crash the plane, causing the aircraft to plunge rapidly from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in just one minute.
The bleeding captain managed to open the cockpit door and call for help, and Israeli passengers physically subdued the co-pilot with their bare hands, averting a catastrophic disaster.
During this process, the aircraft suffered damage, including its vertical tail rudder being torn off, but off-duty pilots on board safely landed the plane in an emergency landing at Tabuk Regional Airport in Saudi Arabia.
Immediately following the incident, flydubai completely suspended all flights operating to and from Israel.
(Photo: Captured from social media X, Yonhap News)
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