The Omani co-pilot accused of trying to hijack an Israel-bound flydubai flight was previously banned from flying by his own country’s aviation authority over fears he had adopted radical ideological views, according to a new report.
The aviator, whose name has not been publicly released, was grounded by Oman before being hired by the Dubai-based airline, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. He had worked for flydubai for less than a year when he allegedly launched Wednesday’s attack.
Despite the Omani ban, the co-pilot was cleared to fly the sensitive route connecting the United Arab Emirates and Israel, a corridor established after the 2020 Abraham Accords normalized relations between the two nations. It was not immediately clear whether Oman shared its concerns about the pilot’s radicalization with other countries or airlines, according to the publication.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 74, addressed the incident Friday with stark conclusions about the attacker’s motivations. “The attacker underwent Islamist radicalization,” he said in a statement. “He intended to crash the plane with all its passengers on board.”
Netanyahu, who has overseen Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, added a warning about potential accomplices. “We are now investigating whether he was sent, and whoever sent him will pay a very heavy price,” he said.
Flight 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv was carrying 182 people when the co-pilot allegedly assaulted the captain mid-flight, causing the aircraft to plunge 18,000 feet in a nosedive that terrified those on board.
The captain, Smit Machchhar, fought off his attacker despite being stabbed, creating the opening for passengers and an off-duty pilot to intervene. Their quick action prevented what authorities believe could have become a mass-casualty disaster over the region.
Israel’s defense minister labeled the incident “a jihadist terrorist attack” on Wednesday, framing the cockpit violence within the broader context of regional tensions and threats against Israeli targets.
The co-pilot’s alleged refusal to follow standard security protocols had reportedly raised concerns among colleagues before the flight, though specific details of prior warnings remain unconfirmed in the immediate aftermath.
The Wall Street Journal’s reporting on the Omani grounding raises significant questions about aviation security vetting procedures, particularly for pilots operating on politically sensitive routes. The apparent gap between Oman’s internal ban and flydubai’s hiring decision suggests potential breakdowns in information sharing across national aviation authorities.
Flydubai, the low-cost carrier based in Dubai, has not publicly addressed how the co-pilot passed its employment screening or whether it had access to Oman’s internal aviation restrictions. The airline operates multiple daily flights to Tel Aviv, a route that has seen increased security attention since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and subsequent regional escalation.
The 18,000-foot descent triggered emergency protocols before the passengers and off-duty pilot managed to restrain the attacker and stabilize the aircraft. The plane eventually landed safely, though the incident left crew and passengers shaken and several requiring medical attention.
The co-pilot now faces potential terrorism charges in Israel, where authorities are investigating whether he acted alone or as part of a broader plot. The timing of the attack, amid heightened Israel-Iran tensions and ongoing conflict in Gaza, has intensified scrutiny of aviation security across Middle Eastern routes.
Netanyahu’s Friday statement marked the most detailed official account of the investigation’s direction, with the prime minister explicitly framing the incident around radicalization rather than treating it as an isolated workplace dispute or mental health episode.
The route between Dubai and Tel Aviv, launched with fanfare after normalization, has become a symbol of the Abraham Accords’ promise and its vulnerabilities. Wednesday’s attack demonstrated how a single compromised insider could threaten the fragile architecture of regional cooperation.
The co-pilot’s Omani nationality adds a diplomatic dimension to the case, as the sultanate maintains official relations with Israel while navigating domestic opinion critical of the Accords. Oman has not publicly commented on its prior ban or whether it attempted to alert regional partners.