Free Palestine Materials Found With FlyDubai Co-Pilot Amid Flight Attack

New details have emerged in the investigation into an incident aboard FlyDubai flight FZ1073, which was en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv. According to a source in the United Arab Emirates speaking to i24NEWS, "Free Palestine" leaflets and publications, along with other pro-Palestinian documents, were discovered among the belongings of the Omani co-pilot. He is suspected of attempting to crash the aircraft. The same source stated that the co-pilot had repeatedly expressed pro-Palestinian sentiments and hostility towards Israel. These findings are being considered as part of the effort to understand his motivations, though they do not definitively establish the circumstances or precise objective of his actions. The flight carried 174 passengers and eight crew members.

During the incident, the co-pilot attacked the captain, according to initial Saudi investigation findings. An emergency code indicating an illicit act aboard was activated as the plane rapidly lost altitude, prompting Israel to scramble fighter jets. The aircraft eventually made an emergency landing in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia, after passengers and crew intervened. Several testimonies indicate that Israeli passengers rushed to the cockpit as the plane tilted and dived. They found the captain injured and bleeding and subsequently subdued the assailant. Yaniv Hayoun, one of the first passengers to intervene, recounted struggling with the suspect and briefly taking control of the aircraft for a few seconds until a crew member regained command.

The Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, received onboard medical attention and was hospitalized after the landing. He was later transferred to Abu Dhabi for further treatment, as was the co-pilot involved in the assault. India's Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the captain's condition was good. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior confirmed both pilots were injured and that the captain was assaulted by his co-pilot. However, their statement did not mention the flight's Israeli destination, the presence of Israeli passengers, or a potential terrorist motive for the incident. Authorities are also investigating the possibility of further involvement by other individuals.