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Israel's prime minister claimed the Omani co-pilot who stabbed his captain on an Israel-bound flydubai flight had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination and was likely suicidal, as the UAE launched its own investigation into possible terrorist intent.
The Omani co-pilot who stabbed his captain on an Israel-bound flydubai flight had previously undergone radical Islamist indoctrination and was suicidal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said.
The claim came as the United Arab Emirates announced its own investigation into the incident, including whether it was linked to terrorist activity or intent. The co-pilot, whose identity has not been released, was arrested by Saudi security services on the plane's arrival in Tabuk in north-west Saudi Arabia. He is being interrogated by Saudi authorities as part of a multi-country investigation involving the UAE, the US, Oman and Israel aimed at determining his motive.
Netanyahu cites radical indoctrination motive
Netanyahu told Fox News: We know that he underwent Islamic radical indoctrination. That appears to be something we are gathering from his personal information. He added that the co-pilot was probably suicidal, citing preliminary indications, and said: It looks very likely that he was going to down the plane. The Islamist tendencies, that radicalisation that are found in his background, I think that's a pretty good clue.
He stressed that final conclusions had yet to be made. A regional official familiar with the investigation told the Associated Press: All possible scenarios, from terrorism to mental disorders, are being looked into. Nothing is ruled out for now. Two Israeli security officials said Israel's initial assessment was that the co-pilot was probably acting alone, according to Reuters.
The sources said they had not yet found Iranian involvement, after Netanyahu earlier said it was too early to say whether there was any state backing. The UAE chief prosecutor said on Thursday local time that an investigation had been launched including the possibility of terrorist activity or intent.
The state news agency WAM said the attorney general had ordered the probe, adding that the investigation team had begun work into the incident that forced the plane to land in Saudi Arabia. It said the investigation would determine the degree to which the incident was linked to any terrorist activity or intent.
UAE judicial authorities have jurisdiction because the aircraft is registered in the UAE and flies under its flag, the statement said, adding that UAE law applies to crimes committed on board even if they occur outside the country's territory. Flydubai said its flights to and from Israel would be suspended for the duration of the investigation and urged all parties to refrain from premature speculation while authorities gather the facts.
Passengers recount terrifying plane dive
The aircraft, flight FZ1073, had 174 passengers on board and was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday. The incident began about two hours and 16 minutes into the flight, which typically takes about three and a half hours. Passengers said they saw a knife-wielding man, apparently the Omani co-pilot, put the captain on the floor, after which the plane began to plummet. Screams filled the cabin as the aircraft plunged 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.
In total, the aircraft fell 17,350 feet, going from 34,000 feet to 16,650 feet in two minutes, according to flightradar24 data. Passenger Almog Itali told the BBC that the aeroplane started to drop like a rollercoaster with a massive G-force. A sharp ascent followed, but the plane abruptly dropped again. It was at this point that people rushed to the cockpit, according to Itali.
About three or four passengers subdued the co-pilot, acquiring minor injuries in the process. An Israeli passenger said the crew asked passengers for help, and passengers helped tie down the co-pilot after tackling him. They are very brave. They literally saved our lives, Itali said.
According to Yasmin Abukasis, whose daughter Miriam was on the flight, a man holding a knife had forced one of the pilots onto the floor. Blood was everywhere, and loud screams could be heard. The wounded pilot, identified as Indian national Captain Smit Machchhar, managed to send out an emergency signal and open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to enter and stop the plane's descent. He received life-saving care from a dentist on board, a passenger said.
A video shared by the prime minister's office showed one passenger, Yaniv Hayoun, a plumber, speaking to Netanyahu at length about how the events onboard had played out. Hayoun told the prime minister he and other passengers heard screaming and felt the air pressure change as the plane dived before they forced their way into the cockpit and found the attacker at the instrument panel.
I grabbed the attacker, put him in a chokehold, and dragged him out first, Hayoun said during the meeting with Netanyahu after the plane had landed safely and the passengers were flown to Israel. At 9.28am, the aircraft issued an emergency alert signal, known as a squawk 7700, as it flew along the Jordan-Saudi Arabia border.
A squawk 7700 is an internationally standardised code that indicates a general emergency, which could be anything from engine failure to a severe medical crisis. It automatically highlights the aircraft on air traffic control radar, making it priority. If needed, air traffic control will clear surrounding airspace to get the aircraft to the nearest runway.
The code is discrete, as no verbal radio call is necessary since it is transmitted directly through the aircraft transponder when the pilot types in the four digits directly. After the altitude stabilised at about 15,000 feet, a second emergency alert, a squawk 7500, meaning unlawful interference, was sent, sparking fears of a hijacking. The aircraft turned west and briefly entered Jordanian airspace, then turned 180 degrees back towards Saudi Arabia, flying south-west in the direction of Tabuk.
Cockpit recording reveals passenger takeover
A passenger recounted shouting at others to run and take control of the plane. A recording captured a voice saying: We are here, the plane, we have just taken control of the terrorists. We are about to land. The aircraft transponder later switched back to squawk 7700, the code for general emergency.
The Saudi Gazette reported the aircraft made a safe landing at Tabuk Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport, 440 kilometres from its intended destination, and that the captain and co-pilot were injured. A photo taken of the aircraft after its emergency landing showed it had sustained damage to its tail fin, and a part of its rudder was missing. The rudder is used primarily for yaw, the side-to-side rotation of an aircraft nose around its vertical axis, and directional control.
It is an important flight control surface, but not the only one built into the aircraft. Partial loss of the rudder does not necessarily make the aircraft uncontrollable, but it certainly adds another significant challenge, said Dr Salim Hijazeen. What is remarkable is that the pilots taking control were dealing not only with an extraordinary situation onboard, but also an aircraft that had experienced extreme changes in altitude and apparent flight control damage.
To then stabilise the aircraft, assess its condition, divert and land safely would have required a very high level of situational awareness and help from air traffic control. At 7.34pm, one of two flydubai repatriation flights carrying passengers from FZ1073 arrived at Ben Gurion International Airport, where it was met by Netanyahu, anxious families and waiting officials.
Heroes receive awards for bravery
Israeli officials praised the bravery of those who intervened, announcing that four of the Israeli passengers would receive a heroism award for preventing a potential disaster. Machchhar was widely praised for his bravery, with Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailing him as a hero. Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO, Modi said in a post on social media.
In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others. India's ambassador to the UAE met the wounded captain's family and briefed them on his recovery, the Indian consulate in the UAE said. The pilot was in good health and recovering well, according to the Indian embassy in the UAE, which said the ambassador had visited him.
The attack came just days after Netanyahu warned of an unspecified security threat to Israel that could come during its October election. The Israeli military had said before the incident it had no specific intelligence of an imminent threat and opposition leader Yair Lapid said a security briefing on Tuesday night included no mention of a related threat.
Other Israeli officials, including defence minister Israel Katz and ambassador to the UN Danny Danon, suggested the incident was a terror attack, with the Israeli foreign ministry briefing its diplomats that the attack was against Israel and its relationship with the UAE. US President Donald Trump suggested the co-pilot was perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack job, and told reporters at the White House that he and Netanyahu had spoken at length.
Netanyahu also spoke to the president of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who agreed to Israel's involvement in the investigation. A motive for the attack has not yet been established.
theage 
brisbanetimes:A terrifying plunge, loud screams, blood everywhere: How flight FZ1073 unfolded, moment by moment 
abcnews:Netanyahu claims flydubai pilot underwent 'radical indoctrination' 
GuardianAus:Co-pilot in flight stabbing had ‘Islamic radical indoctrination’, says NetanyahuThis story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
Tel Aviv Flight Attack Tabuk Emergency Landing Yaniv Hayoun Smit Machchhar Netanyahu Islamist Indoctrination UAE Terror Investigation Flydubai Stabbing Netanyahu Islamist Indoctrination Claim Smit Machchhar Hero
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