Security Officials Blame Transport Ministry for Fly Dubai Incident

Senior Israeli security officials have blamed the security department of the Ministry of Transport for negligence that allowed an Omani co-pilot to board a Fly Dubai flight to Israel. The officials stated that the responsibility lies entirely with the Aviation Security Operations Center, which should have prevented the Omani pilot from boarding. "Anyone with common sense understands that an Omani pilot should not arrive here," the officials said, as reported by Kan News on Sunday.

According to the report, the Shin Bet is responsible for securing Israeli airlines, while chartered flights, whether by Israeli or foreign companies, fall under the full responsibility of the Ministry of Transport. The article also recalls a previous incident where a chartered plane with Moldovan markings, used to evacuate Israelis from Dubai during the conflict with Iran, landed in Israel with an Indonesian civilian crew who were not supposed to be there.

Following an investigation into the Fly Dubai Flight 1073 co-pilot, identified as the "terrorist pilot" Mam al-Hamaami, the prevailing assessment in Israel is that he acted alone. New details published by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera suggest that the Omani co-pilot disengaged the autopilot, pushed the controls forward forcefully, and shut down both engines during the flight. The aircraft reportedly lost approximately 16,000 feet in about 30 seconds. Analysis of videos by two Boeing 737 captains indicated that emergency lights in the cabin illuminated at high altitude, a sign that the aircraft lost its main power supply and switched to battery power, which can occur if generators or engines are turned off. Investigators are examining whether the fuel switches were moved from the 'Run' to 'Cut Off' position. One of the pilots who responded to the cockpit transmitted the emergency code 7700, which was later changed to 7500, indicating a suspected hijacking.