Israel to Join Investigation into Copilot Who Tried to Crash Flight to Israel

Israeli investigators are reportedly set to join the investigation into the copilot suspected of attempting to crash a flydubai passenger plane traveling from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Tel Aviv, Israel.

According to Reuters on October 2, the Omani copilot was transferred to the UAE the previous day and is being investigated by UAE authorities over possible terrorist links and other matters.

The UAE state news agency reported the previous day that UAE authorities have launched an investigation to uncover the circumstances and motives of the incident, and to determine whether it was linked to terrorist activities or objectives, or if it was pre-planned or directed.

flydubai Chief Executive Officer Ghaith Al Ghaith also stated in his first public statement regarding the incident that authorities are conducting an official investigation and that the airline is providing support.

He described the incident as a "safety incident" that occurred in the cockpit.

Al Ghaith said in the statement that it is important to allow the process to unfold so that the facts can be established, adding that "many questions" remain regarding what happened on the flight.

The investigation is taking place in the UAE because, under international aviation law, jurisdiction over crimes committed on board an aircraft is primarily granted to the state of registry.

flydubai is a sister company of Emirates, and its aircraft are registered in the UAE.

In connection with this, an Israeli government official told Reuters that Israeli investigators will join the UAE-led investigation alongside UAE authorities to determine the circumstances of the incident and examine the suspect's motives and background.

However, it remains unknown which Israeli agency will participate in the investigation of the copilot.

The UAE established diplomatic relations with Israel under the 2020 Abraham Accords and has strengthened ties with Israel since a war broke out following joint attacks by Israel and the US on Iran in late February, which led Iran to strike surrounding Arab countries.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement that Israel is examining whether the copilot acted on someone's orders, warning that anyone involved in the incident will pay a heavy price.

Netanyahu stated the previous day that the copilot is an Omani national who had been brainwashed by radical Islamist ideology and clearly intended to commit suicide, though his motives at the time had not yet been confirmed.

Netanyahu has also noted that pilots from countries that do not have official diplomatic relations with Israel, such as Oman, are not permitted to operate flights bound for Israel.

It is still unclear how the copilot was assigned to this Tel Aviv-bound flight.

Previously, on the morning of September 30, a flydubai Boeing 737 MAX passenger plane (Flight FZ 1073) heading from Dubai to Tel Aviv experienced an incident while flying over Saudi Arabia in which the copilot stabbed the captain with a sharp weapon and abruptly sent the aircraft into a steep dive.

Due to this incident, the passenger plane, which was flying at an altitude of 34,000 feet (approximately 10,000 meters), plummeted 16,625 feet in about 30 seconds.

Despite the crisis, Indian captain Smit Machar unlocked the cockpit door, and three Israeli passengers and a flight attendant entered the cockpit to overpower the copilot.

Two off-duty pilots who happened to be on board as passengers took over the controls and landed the passenger plane at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, and the copilot was immediately detained by Saudi authorities.

Meanwhile, Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that "Captain Machar deserves our full gratitude for showing courage and responsibility in the face of a dangerous terrorist act and a potential catastrophe," adding, "His professionalism and moral sense in the darkest of moments made him a true hero."

He also cautioned against minimizing the incident or spreading conspiracy theories, adding, "It is important to maintain vigilance and caution against the dangers of extremism and terrorism."

Gargash's remarks drew attention because a high-ranking UAE official used the term "terrorism" while the UAE authorities' investigation is still ongoing.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.