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US media reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter, that the Flydubai first officer suspected of stabbing the captain aboard a plane bound for Israel on Wednesday had been grounded by Oman over concerns about radical views.
Reports on Oman’s actions
The Wall Street Journal reported that Omani authorities barred the first officer from flying because they were concerned about his ideological views. It is unclear whether those concerns were communicated to Flydubai.
The United Arab Emirates, which is leading the investigation, declined to comment on the pilot’s past in Oman, citing the ongoing inquiry. AnewZ contacted Flydubai and the Omani government for comment.
According to Fox News, Oman’s national carrier, Oman Air, grounded the pilot in 2024 after discovering that he had accessed websites containing radical Islamist material. ABC News, citing senior intelligence and law enforcement officials, reported that he was identified as a security risk that year while training as a first officer at Oman Air. AnewZ also sought comment from Oman Air on the reports.
How the attack aboard the plane unfolded
The alleged attack took place about two hours after a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv took off. The Omani first officer reportedly stabbed the captain, Indian national Smith Machhar.
The plane descended about 5,200 meters during the incident. Passengers and crew members later subdued the suspect.
The plane changed course and diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. Nearly all of the approximately 180 people aboard were Israeli.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that the assailant had been exposed to “radical Islamist indoctrination” and may have planned to crash the plane.
