Omani Co-Pilot Suspected of Nationalist Motives in Dubai-Israel Flight Incident

Israeli authorities are awaiting the results of an investigation in Saudi Arabia into an incident aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel, where the co-pilot allegedly attempted to crash the plane. While certainty has not yet been established, suspicions are growing that the act was motivated by nationalism. The Mossad chief, Roman Gofman, is leading the efforts to coordinate with Saudi Arabia and oversee the investigation.

A Flydubai rescue flight landed in Saudi Arabia to repatriate the passengers, who have begun boarding the flight back to Israel. Upon their return, the passengers will be questioned by security services, with all possibilities regarding the incident's cause remaining open. The incident began around 9:00 AM when Israel received a hijacking signal from the aircraft, prompting the scramble of fighter jets and urgent high-level security discussions. The plane briefly disappeared from tracking systems around 9:30 AM, intensifying fears of a hijacking before reappearing.

The aircraft eventually landed at a Saudi airport at 10:00 AM, after which Israeli airspace reopened. Flydubai initially attributed the event to a dispute between the pilots, but it has since emerged as a more serious matter. The suspect co-pilot is currently being interrogated, and Israeli officials indicate increasing evidence suggests his intention was to deliberately crash the plane with all passengers aboard.

According to an Israeli official, one pilot stabbed the other and attempted to hijack or crash the plane, describing it as a potential "9/11" scenario. The plane began a steep dive, but other pilots on board, traveling as passengers as part of a routine exercise, managed to overpower the assailant and regain control, averting a major disaster. "The great luck of this flight was the pilots," the official stated, comparing the averted catastrophe to events in September 2001 or July 1976.

In response to the developing situation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was en route to the south, returned for an additional security briefing. Transportation Minister Miri Regev demanded a halt to Flydubai flights to Israel, a demand that reportedly sparked a sharp disagreement with Shin Bet Director David Zini.